


Vocaloid: Cantarella Revenge

by When_The_Cicadas_Die



Series: Hidden In The Dark [2]
Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Based on a Vocaloid Song, F/F, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Possible Character Death, Revenge, Tags Are Hard, This is just dark and depressing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-02-09 22:36:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18647488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/When_The_Cicadas_Die/pseuds/When_The_Cicadas_Die
Summary: It's been around three months since Kaito Shion and Gakupo Kamui began their forbidden relationship, kept in the darkness away from their girlfriends. They have the perfect life together, and Kaito's fears of commitment and being found out are finally starting to fade away, leading to a more stable, open relationship between the new couple.Much to their delight, Miku and Luka have taken a sudden trip away together - a fun getaway for 'best friends', as Luka has finally completed her important University exams and wants to take some time to relax. This means that Kaito and Gakupo have a whole week to themselves, and plan to spend most of it indoors as their relationship still can't go public. That is, until Gakupo receives another sudden surprise - an old school friend has offered them an invitation to a strange yet exciting event, so with their girlfriends out of the way, the couple decide to have some fun and go along. However, the final blow is yet to come, and something will change their lives forever in ways Kaito never could have imagined.





	1. A Normal Life

**Author's Note:**

> I've finally ended up getting some inspiration and motivation today out of nowhere, so please enjoy the second part of my Hidden In The Dark series! I feel like I've worked out enough details in my head to actually go ahead and post this. Please note, I chose not to use archive warnings as I don't want to spoil any of this story's content BUT viewer discretion is advised, I will be dealing with some very mature and dark scenes referring to violence, non-con content and some other things. Do not read this if you don't think you can handle reading very dark things, basically. Thank you, and enjoy.

I slip my eyes shut and let the cool water run down my body. I find myself lost in thought, and I’ve been that way for a while now. There are so many different things on my mind that it’s hard not to get lost like this, especially with the relaxing feeling of the water against my skin.

“Kai-kun… Kai-kun!”

I’m brought back to reality by the sound of an impatient voice calling my name. “Wha-…?” My eyes jolt open in surprise, and only after I realise where I’ve zoned out, I start to register just how ice cold the running water is. “Wah, holy c-c-cold!” I squeak and immediately reach out to turn off the water, almost slipping over in the process.

“Careful…!” the voice gasps, and of course when I turn to look over, it’s none other than Gakupo. He says that about ten seconds too late – my pride is already damaged by the time the whole ordeal is over. I’d muster up a smile upon seeing him, but now my reality is that I’m soaking wet and freezing cold.

“Aaaaahhh… C-Coooold...” I mutter, pouting over at Gakupo.

He lets out a quiet sigh, shaking his head and gesturing his right arm forward to show what he’s carrying. “Kai-kun, you dummy. I’ve been calling your name for the past few minutes. I figured you’d be spaced out again, so I came prepared this time,” he says.

I clamber out of the shower in embarrassment, shivering as I stand wet and naked in front of him. Do I really do this _that_ often? I grab the warm towel from Gakupo and begin to dry myself off. He simply watches me as I do so, apparently thriving off my stupid mistake.

“I swear, I can’t leave you to take a shower alone without you getting lost in thought and letting the water run cold,” he groans, shaking his head lightly at me again. As I dry myself off, I watch as he grabs a clean towel from the radiator; suddenly I feel him smack it right off the top of my head and start vigorously rubbing my hair.

“Ow- Hey, hey! Easy!” I immediately begin to protest, refusing to be treated like some sort of soggy dog. That’s when I hear a sly chuckle escape his lips. With that, he eases up a bit and continues to help me dry the top half of my body with the fluffy towel. A small sigh passes my lips as silence hangs between us for a short while.

I tend to get lost in thought a lot, and in particular, those thoughts are almost always about Miku and even Luka. Gakupo and I have been together in secret for a good few months now, and really everything has been going so smoothly and so great. All those commitment doubts I once had at the beginning are long gone, but even so, one small problem remains… We’re still hiding this from our girlfriends. I’m not sure if Gakupo has gotten comfortable with this life and intends to go on forever this way without saying a word, or if he genuinely still thinks it’s not a good idea to come clean yet, but I’m slowly becoming more and more uncomfortable myself with all the lying.

And eventually, the topic comes up. “You know, you space out all the time and end up freezing cold just like this every single time, but… You never really tell me what’s on your mind.”

I let out a quiet huff. It’s not that I want to intentionally hide my thoughts from him, but it’s pretty embarrassing to get insecurities out in the open. Besides, I’m worrying over nothing. There’s no way they could ever find out about us, considering how careful we’ve been so far. But… It’s been on my mind so much… Is it some kind of sick, twisted foreshadowing? “Don’t worry, honestly.”

Gakupo rolls his eyes at me. “Alright, alright. I trust you enough not to pry and hope you’ll work it out yourself,” he answers. That kind of answer is a big relief. That’s one of the best things about Gakupo, actually. The fact that he’s so trusting and never pushes me to talk about something I’m not quite open about. I feel as though I’m very lucky.

“I’m fine, anyway. Just silly thoughts,” I say, half telling the truth.

“If you say so,” he shrugs. “Anyway, the whole reason I came up is because I wanted to tell you I’d be making a start on dinner. Heh… You haven’t forgot, have you? I’m going to try my hand at preparing home-made pizza.”

A light grin pulls at my lips, and the mood between us changes, becoming lighter like always. “Oh, gosh. I almost forgot. This is going to be comical, I cannot miss it.”

Gakupo casually mentioned this ‘event’ a few days ago; he’s spent so much time with Luka lately, as her university exams are approaching, but he decided that we should do something fun together ‘soon’ to make up for time apart. And of course, that ‘soon’ is now, and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to ever since. I’d be a liar if I say Gakupo is a brilliant chef – it’s usually me who’s in the kitchen making our meals when we’re together, or if I’m feeling lazy, it’ll be a takeaway night. So, naturally, this is something I really cannot miss.

“You’re so ambitious, I admire that in you,” I laugh, smirking up at him.

“Well, go ahead and put some clothes on. I’m making a start in ten minutes, and if you aren’t there to see it, then that’s too bad,” Gakupo remarks, eyes ‘subtly’ looking down at my exposed lower half. Even though _that_ part has been in his face more times than I can count by now, I still instinctively grab the towel I previously used, to cover myself. “No use in trying to hide either, my love. I’ll have my way with you later, trust me...” He speaks in a seductive, low tone which causes my face to flush red as it’s such an unexpected statement.

“H-Hey…!” Before I can lash out at him for speaking so crudely in such a casual way, he’s already out of the bathroom. Gone. Faster than I can blink. God damn it.

…

Eating burnt pizza isn’t _so_ bad, I suppose. I mean, sure it’s got a very distinct charcoal taste, but at least it’s home-made and not some store bought crap. And it’s the effort that counts, right? “Hey, uh… at least some parts of it aren’t burnt,” I attempt to compliment the efforts, putting on a grin.

Gakupo, on the other hand, looks miserable and heartbroken. It’s like someone just kicked a puppy or something. “I’ve failed...” he grumbles, although he takes a big bite from the slice he’s holding, probably just for the eggplant pieces that’s scattered onto it. I awkwardly look down to the bits of eggplant I ‘accidentally’ dropped onto my plate, not wanting to put them back onto my pizza slice. I love Gakupo, but I cannot for the life of me get behind his eggplant obsession. Eggplant in everything. It’s slowly driving me mad.

Honestly, this pizza could be perfect without the eggplant. And the burning, of course. “Don’t be silly. It was your first time. You’ll get better with practice,” I respond, trying to cheer him up. It doesn’t matter what I think of eggplant, or how awful I think this entire experience has been, it’s still my job to cheer my partner up. Although, that being said… I take one more small bite and then place the remaining crust onto my plate. I really can’t eat any more.

“Heh...” Gakupo softly lets out a single laugh, before copying me and also putting his pizza down. “Oh well. You’re right, there’s always next time.” We’ve managed to finish about half of the pizza, and it seems the rest will be going straight in the trash.

“How about we go relax in front of the TV for a few hours before bed or something?” I suggest. After a lousy dinner, I feel like relaxing and forgetting the existence of that food is the best thing to do right now.

“Eh… Yeah, sure. I’m gonna grab the laptop, though. Check out social media and all that,” Gakupo answers, before standing up. I give a nod and join him in standing up, but as he heads upstairs to get his laptop, I collect our plates and throw the leftovers into the trash. Goodnight, sweet pizza.

“This would be a crime if you were any type of pizza other than eggplant,” I mumble to myself, finding the departure rather bittersweet. After clearing up the kitchen, I make my way to the living room and flick on the lights. A dim light fills the room, giving off a very relaxing vibe, and I allow myself to feel calm for now.

Luka and Miku are out of town right now. I suppose that’s why I’ve been worrying so much over the past couple of days. They’re going on some sort of camping/hiking trip together. I think it’s something for ‘bestest friends’ to do – that’s what Miku told me, anyway. No matter what it is, it means I get to stay with Gakupo for the entire week, which is an opportunity I’m grateful for. Usually, we don’t get much time together at all, so this makes a nice change for once. I rub at the back of my neck, sighing lightly. I’ve been so tense lately… I need to chill out. After switching the TV on, I make myself comfortable on the couch – stretching my legs out over the cushions, but leaving a space for when Gakupo comes back.

I put a random anime on in the background, not really caring about what to watch right now. After about a minute or so of waiting, I can see Gakupo entering the living room so I greet him with a smile. He’s carrying his laptop with him, and he sets himself down next to me.

“Anything good to watch?” Gakupo wonders, placing his laptop onto the coffee table in front of him.

I shake my head as an answer, since there really isn’t anything worthwhile at the moment. Sure, this anime is pretty cool, but our favourite thing to watch won’t be on for about an hour – we usually talk and browse online until it comes on. “How about online? Any juicy news?” I ask with a light smile.

“Mm...” Gakupo hums, squinting his eyes at the screen. He leans forward to type something on his laptop, and after flicking my glance over to it out of curiosity, I see that he’s logged into VocaBook. After that, I hear a groan of frustration coming from him. “I have five new messages from Luka-chan.”

“Oh...” I mutter, not sure how to feel about that piece of news. She’s always been the persistent type, I’ll give her that. But obviously, that isn’t exactly a good thing, especially right now. Even though they’re in a different part of the country, they still find a way to interfere with us.

“As annoying as that is, there’s actually something good here,” Gakupo answers, and I can hear a few more clicks of his mousepad. Something good… amongst Luka’s messages? Before I can even say those words out loud, he continues. “Take a look at this.” And not even a second later, his laptop is shoved into my face all while he points to a message from what appears to be a mutual friend.

“Huh?” I raise an eyebrow, skimming over the contact’s info. Someone named Len Kagamine. My first instinct is – annoyingly – jealousy. But before I jump to conclusions, I allow Gakupo to explain himself.

“So, you see, I haven’t talked to this guy in years. We went to high school together, were in the same friendship circle, and… Apparently now he’s giving me some kind of offer,” he says, pulling the laptop away from my face. I don’t even get the chance to read the message. “Ahem. It says… Hey there, Gakupo-san. I know we haven’t spoken in a long time, but a few of our old friends from school are hosting an event in a few days, and we’d love for you to come along and just have some fun. Feel free to bring whoever you want – and don’t forget to check out further details below.”

As he’s reading, there’s a hint of confusion in his voice, and I gotta admit… I’m just as confused as he is. An event? Old friends? Just what on earth… “Is this guy for real?”

“Uh, yeah. My old friends at school were, um… how do I put it… into some _different_ things. This appears to be…” His words trail off as he stares at the screen. Oh, god. Is this some sort of sexual event? Please say he hasn’t just been invited to amateur p- “A masquerade ball.”

“Oh, thank god for that!” I exhale dramatically in relief, but only then do I realise the alternative. “Wait… A…?” I can’t even repeat that. That’s… that’s ridiculous…!

“Uh huh,” Gakupo nods, in disbelief. “There’s… huh… Okay, there’s some details here. It’s in three days from now. Len-kun says the doors open at 6pm, and it finishes at sometime after midnight. Apparently, it’s a huge deal, and a lot of people have already been invited.”

“Some uptight fancy types, I imagine,” I quietly add, scoffing to myself. This sounds completely ridiculous.

“Likely,” Gakupo snickers, apparently having heard what I just said. “This seems legit, though. I guess my old friend circle made it big in the whole party organisation thing?” Even he sounds unsure as to what _exactly_ this whole thing is about. What’s worse, it sounds like he’s actually considering this.

“Now, just hold on… I won’t stop you if you wanna go meet up with old friends, but there’s no way in Hell-”

“Aw, c’mon! You know I can’t go if you aren’t there with me!” he suddenly interrupts, looking towards me with big, sad puppy eyes. What!? What is this all of a sudden? I frantically shake my head and wave my hands dismissively. “It sounds like it’ll be fun, and adventurous!”

“But- but-… Ugh, never mind the fact that it’ll be full of stuck up rich types, just think about it more carefully!” I try my best to put him off, my worst fears coming to the surface. “We can barely go out in public together without looking suspicious. Isn’t this just us begging to be found out if we attend something that only couples would go to?” If this Len finds out about us, I’m sure he’ll manage to get word back to Luka.

Gakupo pauses for a moment, and for that sweet split moment I think I’ve won him over. But then… “I got it! Kai-kun, you dummy… It’s a masquerade ball, no one will even recognise us!”

Despite our distinctive blue and purple hair? Yeah, sure. Ugh. Maybe I’m just overreacting and thinking too much as usual. This should be our only chance to have some fun while Miku and Luka are away. He is kind of right… It should be an adventure, and maybe I’ll even enjoy it more than I expect right now.

“Come on! Len-kun is saying there are limited spaces left, so I should respond as soon as possible. Our names will be put onto a guest list that only the hosts see, so no one will suspect a thing! I promise!” Gakupo seems very eager about all this. It makes quite a change to the serious, well-mannered man I met in that pub three months ago. Perhaps this is who he’s been all along, and it’s just taken him a while to open up about how much of a child at heart he really is.

I can’t be so cruel as to break his heart. Reluctantly, I nod. “Alright… Sign us up.”

“Hehe… The truth is, while you were considering it, I already went ahead and put both our names forward in response...” Gakupo mischievously grins at me, a playful sparkle in his eyes. Jesus christ, that sneaky little…

“But- Wh-What if I said no?!” I choke out, in shock.

“Then I’d just have to...” Gakupo trails off, suddenly shutting the lid of his laptop and turning to look at me with serious eyes. I gulp, looking around anxiously. “Convince you.” Did it suddenly get really hot in here?

“I… I, uh… w-well, I already said I’d go, so…!” It doesn’t help that I’m already lying down on the couch. My lower lip quivers in embarrassment as I watch Gakupo shift himself onto his knees and slowly crawl up towards me.

“I just want to make sure you won’t change your mind,” Gakupo says, in a hushed tone, his eyes locked with mine. I can’t look away. This is some kind of mind control. Sorcery. I’m stunned into silence, and soon, he’s towering over me; his hands tightly holding onto my arms so that I’m pinned in place.

“Gaku-kun...” I whisper, biting down on my lower lip. Now I’m all flustered and have no idea what to say. Although I get the feeling words will serve no purpose in this situation. Giving in, I let my eyes slip shut and almost straight away I feel a familiar pair of lips on mine. This causes my blush to darken a little more from the comforting feeling, and all of my worries from earlier in the day suddenly aren’t in my mind any more.

Our lips meeting is the most blissful feeling I’ve had in such a long time. I never felt this with Miku, or any other girls for that matter. Perhaps I’ve finally found my soulmate. My body shudders as Gakupo pushes his tongue into my mouth after a slight pause to take a breath. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get enough of Gakupo and his sweet taste; he understands my needs so well and never fails to pleasure me. His tongue twirls around mine softly, causing sparks of pleasure to run through my body – a quiet, breathy moan escapes my lips when he pulls away to look into my eyes.

And just as though it’s completely natural, with no hesitation, he utters a few words that I never expected to hear for a long time. “I think I love you.”

There aren’t any words I can think of that’d be an adequate enough response at this point. I’ve known from the beginning how I feel about him, so this shouldn’t be a shock but it kind of is, given that I not once expected him to return the feelings so soon. I suppose there’s no point in dwelling on it, and wasting this precious time with meaningless words. I’ll just show him how I feel. A slight smirk pulling at my lips, I take my chance to surprise him for once; I reach my hand up and press a finger to his lips to stop him from saying anything else.

“Hmm…?” I can feel him mumble that, and his expression is simply the cutest I’ve ever seen from him. It’s a sort of confusion but he looks incredibly happy.

I give him a sneaky wink in response. “How about we take this upstairs? I want to give you a night full of unforgettable passion...” It’s my turn to take control and throw him off guard. And to my surprise, it works – Gakupo looks like he’s been stunned into silence, and so I pull myself up from the couch, take hold of his hand and guide him away from the living room. So much for him ‘convincing me’ and all that.

**...**


	2. Old Memories

Nothing beats the feeling of snuggling with your partner in bed on a warm morning. Just resting in each other’s arms; our day should have begun already, but we’re both a bit too lazy to get up right now. I let out a small yawn, rubbing my cheek softly against my lover’s chest. “Mm… I think we should get up soon. It’s, um...” I wipe the sleep from my eyes, and squint towards the clock on the wall. “Wow. It’s almost noon.”

Gakupo lets out a soft chuckle as I announce the time. “Ahh… We wasted the whole morning. Suppose we better get up and do things.”

“Well, considering it’s only two days until that very sudden masquerade ball,” I start, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at the absurdity of the whole thing. “We should _probably_ go shopping, uh… um… somewhere?” I don’t even know where we can buy masquerade outfits.

“There should be a fancy dress store somewhere in the VocaMall. We’ll get some lunch and shop about, okay?” Gakupo suggests, looking down at me with a smile. Giving a nod, I lift myself up off his chest and give him a quick kiss before getting out of bed.

Going out into public with Gakupo is a sort of scary thought. My usual worries that someone will see us and assume we’re together begin to take over, even though they’re extremely silly. Well, I’ll need to get over this someday, so today should be good practice. We take a bus into town, and the place is bustling as usual. There are many familiar faces on their daily commute, and some we’ve spoken to before smile our way, and tell us to ‘say hi to Miku and Luka!’ for them. Needless to say, I’m starting to feel a bit awkward, so I pick up the pace and hurry to the VocaMall.

With Gakupo struggling a bit to catch up to me, I let out a heavy sigh of relief once we enter the air-conditioned, less busy mall. I stop on the spot for a moment, waiting for Gakupo to arrive at my side. “Thank god we’re away from all those people talking about the girls,” I say, with a half-hearted laugh.

Gakupo just laughs along with me in response. “Let’s go eat and enjoy our day, alright?” He squeezes my hand gently for a second, and then starts to walk again. It sure would be nice to hold his hand as we walk in a public place, but of course, that can’t happen just yet. Instead of dwelling on it, I follow after Gakupo so that we can go eat.

…

Once we’ve had our lunch, Gakupo and I begin to wander around the mall in hopes of finding some sort of store that sells outfits for fancy events. Now, the VocaMall is one of the biggest in the area, so we’ve got a lot of ground to cover. It’s been at least fifteen minutes since our hunt began after lunch, and while there are countless normal clothes stores, video game stores and all that, there’s still no sight of what we’re looking for.

I can’t help but groan, beginning to think this is a waste of time. I’ve never liked aimlessly walking around a mall – Miku used to love going every week, insisting she needed to buy a new accessory, or a new outfit or, god forbid, a new book. In all my time spent with her, I’d say about 50% of it was in the mall. And so, since our current search seems pointless, I’ve had just about enough and want to leave… But I know I can’t.

Just as I finally decide to try and drop a hint that this is useless, Gakupo points towards something before I get a chance to start. “Look, finally!” My eyes follow the direction his finger is pointing at, and much to my dismay, I set eyes upon a big, bright and sparkly ‘Fancy Dress’ store sign. Ugh, please no. “Let’s go, Kai-kun!” Gakupo’s in that same childish, happy mood as last night.

“Hey now, maybe we should think this through!” I stop him from dashing forward, grabbing hold of his long purple ponytail. I drag him back towards me, and he looks at me with a pout. It’s like he’s about to interrupt me with a ‘but’, so I quickly continue. “I, uhh… I don’t have the money to buy something like a whole new suit and mask…!” That’s not exactly a lie. I do have money, but I’d rather spend it on ice cream…

Gakupo chuckles, patting my head. “Silly Kai-kun. I don’t mind buying an outfit for you as a gift.” He beams brightly at me, leaving me feeling a bit confused and reluctant to accept such an offer. When I said I have no money, I didn’t expect him to go ahead and answer like this.

“Uh… Well, I mean...” I rub the back of my neck, in an awkward manner.

“I don’t mind. I haven’t had the chance to take you out on dates yet, nor have I been able to buy any gifts for you… This is our only chance as of right now, and we probably won’t get another fun night out like this again for a while,” Gakupo answers, and of course, everything he’s saying is true. Maybe I shouldn’t be such a stick in the mud about the whole masquerade thing. This is technically going to end up being one of our first dates – sure, we’ve visited small local cafes at odd hours of the day, taken nature walks that ended in one of us in pain from some sort of plant or insect… Yeah, I guess this event is something we desperately need.

“Alright,” I say, with a light sigh. “But I’ll find a way to make it up to you. I’d feel bad if you spent money on me without getting anything in return.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll think of something sooner or later,” Gakupo vaguely answers, with a smirk. I figured I’d have to do something like ‘that’ in return. Heh… No complaints though, I suppose. And with that, Gakupo and I make our way into the rather big fancy dress store.

As soon as I enter, I’m greeted with pretty loud dance music coming over the speakers, which I hadn’t fully anticipated. The whole atmosphere of this store feels very strange indeed. I glance around, seeing that there are actually quite a few people in here with us, some at the far end, and some browsing the dresses near the front. I have no idea where to begin, but it appears as though Gakupo has some idea.

I follow him around the store, taking in every inch of the massive sea of dresses, suits, accessories, masks, and… Wow. It’s almost too much to handle. Some of the price tags, too. Yikes. Although there’s such a huge range, there seems to be a concentrated area of some more affordable men’s clothes near the back. Gakupo and I split up to look around the section, and when I wander over to some shirts, I can see the back of a store employee who is putting out more stock; the most noticeable part of them is their bright blue hair similar to mine. I immediately recognise who this is.

“Kaiko… Oneechan?” I speak up, a bit confused about the fact that she apparently works here now. This is also my worst nightmare. As much as I love my older sister, she is incredibly loud and incredibly embarrassing, and I prepare myself for an experience similar to when I last encountered her working at that one Cafe in town.

She promptly spins around, throwing what she’s holding onto the floor, a huge grin on her face. “Aaahhh! Otouto-chaaan!” she squeals, and although I’m pretty concerned for the stock she just casually threw away, I have no time to react as she wraps her arms around me tightly.

I cough out, the air being pushed out of me from her deathly, loving grip. “H-Hey…! Easy…!” I choke, yet I can’t help but smile too. I pat her on the back, and she lets me go after a short while. When she releases me, I let out a heavy sigh of relief, finding myself very lucky I haven’t been crushed to death _this time._

“What are you doing here, Otouto-chan? I’m surprised! I didn’t know you liked fancy dress stuff!~” Kaiko starts to question me in a bright, bubbly tone; once she starts, I can barely get a word in. Just as I open my mouth to answer her - “Oh, oh, don’t tell me! You’re, uhhh...~ Oh, yeah! You’re going out on a big serious date with Miku-tan, right? Right?! Oohh… But you’ve never been big on fancy stuff anyway, so… Maybe…!”

“Woah, just hold it!” I hold my hand up, trying to signal her to slow down. That’s way more words than I can handle at once. I’m not even going to get started on the false assumptions. That’s also why no one can find out about Gakupo and I, anyway. Kaiko would either get extremely depressed, or she might beat my ass. She’s scarily unpredictable like that, despite how cutesy she acts on the outside. When I ask her to stop, she stops, a confused pout pulling at her lips. Her brows furrow and she waits for me to say something else. I guess I can go ahead and tell a _slight_ lie. Embellishment will be a better word, actually. “Uh, you know Mi-chan’s best friend – Luka-chan, right?”

Kaiko gives a nod at this. “Mhm! Miku-tan told me about their reunion a couple months ago. Lu-chan is such a lovely girl! I’m almost jealous that Miku-tan chose Lu-chan as her best friend rather than me!” She answers, an unsurprising jealous laugh coming from her mouth. She loves Miku just like a little sister.

“Hah, yeah...” I awkwardly laugh, rubbing at my cheek with a finger. “A-Anyway, I’m here with Luka-chan’s boyfriend, Gakupo-kun. Some of their old high school friends are hosting this big fancy dress event in a couple days, and y’know, the girls want to drag us along to it. So, here we are, buying our outfits while the girls are getting theirs separately.” I think that’s a decent enough explanation. It’s partly the truth, after all.

“Hmm...” Kaiko hums, as though she’s processing every single word I said. Does she believe me? I subtly gulp, trying not to break out in a sweat right in front of her. Just stay cool. After a moment, she nods. “Ah, okay! That makes sense, Otouto-chan.” I sigh quietly as she says that. I’m glad she doesn’t know about the girls being away on a trip right now. She mustn’t get life updates from Miku, and I couldn’t be happier about that fact.

“Yeah, it’s probably gonna be super lame and all, but...” I laugh, not wanting to seem too enthusiastic about it in front of her.

“Aww, at least this gives you and Gakupo-kun some time to bond and become better friends,” Kaiko says with a genuine smile. “I hope you and the girls have a great time. Hehe, shame I can’t come…! I’ll be working all week.”

At this point, the conversation is starting to run a bit dry. I already feel awkward enough lying to her. I should get out of here before my guilty conscience takes over. “Yeah, well, uh… It was nice to see you, Oneechan. I’m gonna catch up with Gakupo-kun and finish off shopping.” My relationship with her has always been a bit strained. We do love each other, but we grew up in a strange situation, which has affected how we communicate today. This is the most I’ll see of her until another few months have passed.

I give her a small wave, and turn around to go back and find Gakupo. As I take a step, her voice rings out from behind me. “I’m… sorry.” My eyes widen at the serious, hushed tone that comes from her. But I don’t look over my shoulder at her. Does she feel guilty for all those years of our childhood that were messed up? Does she feel responsible?

Whatever it is, it stings too much to think about. I want to avoid the issue as much as possible – I already have so much else going on in my life. Why would I ever want to willingly talk about it, anyway? It’s pointless. I take in a deep breath and keep walking; part of me feels like a complete asshole for ignoring my sister, but there’s nothing I can do.

When I find Gakupo, from what I can see he’s carrying a dark purple shirt, black dress pants, and a few other accessories. Looks like he’s already picked out most of his outfit. When our eyes meet, he frowns in disappointment toward me.

“Mmph… I thought _you_ would go ahead and find a carrier to put our clothes in,” he huffs, his arms full.

“Oh. So you’re putting that onto me?” I scoff, a little harsher than I intend to, my mood still sour from a few moments ago. I groan at myself straight after, annoyed that I’ve taken it out on him even though he’s done nothing wrong.

“Hey… I was only messing with you...” Gakupo says in a saddened tone.

I shake my head to snap out of the mood that’s starting to consume me. “I’m sorry, it… it’s not your fault…” That’s all I can manage to say.

“What happened?” he inquires, a protective sort of instinct overcoming him. I don’t exactly want to discuss such things in the VocaMall of all places. So I just stay silent. “Alright, I understand. I’ll pick out a nice outfit for you, and then we’ll make our way home, okay?”

I simply nod, with a sigh. My entire mood has been fucked up by a few words from my sister. This really is too much pressure sometimes, but I knew what I was getting into from the start. I should just try my best to enjoy the time we have.

…

The night of the masquerade ball is finally here. The past day or so has been pretty difficult to get through, at least for me personally. Gakupo’s been trying his damn hardest to help me stay in a good mood, but ever since those strange words from Kaiko, it’s been more difficult than ever to pull myself together. But since tonight is supposed to be such a special event, I feel my mood lighting up a bit when I start to get dressed up.

It’s around 5pm, and both of us are almost ready to leave. We’re getting dressed up together in his bedroom, and for the most part, we’ve been in silence. Although I’m feeling a bit better, I still feel awkward around him. Our communication hasn’t been great ever since we went out to the mall, and our relationship is suffering just a bit right now. I’m hoping tonight will change things, and we’ll get back on track eventually.

I take a good look at myself in the mirror at the corner of Gakupo’s room. Of course, I’ve never been the vain type – I just don’t want to look like I’m making a total fool of myself when I leave the house in such unfamiliar clothes. The outfit Gakupo bought for me isn’t so bad, but I feel ridiculous wearing it nonetheless. A dark blue shirt sticks out of my long black jacket; what stands out the most is the golden trails embroidered around the lower arms and chest. Some dark dress pants accompany the jacket, almost completing the outfit. Sticking on the white tie was probably the worst part of getting dressed, since I rarely wear ties and had trouble remembering how to do it. All I have to do now is slide on the white gloves, and finally… The mask.

This is going to be the most embarrassing part – leaving the house and putting something like this on. It’s fairly simple in design; a golden mask which covers my eyes well enough, with a barely visible string that keeps it in place, along with a light blue flowing ribbon that runs down my body. I sigh, and slip the mask on.

I look over to Gakupo, taking in his appearance too. He’s already put his mask on. Our outfits are purposely matching, with the exception of his shirt being dark purple, the golden patterns on his jacket a bit different, and his mask a light grey. He looks far more handsome and graceful than I ever could in this kind of outfit. I walk away from the mirror and decide to approach him. “Hey...”

He’s leaning against the windowsill, looking out for our ride arriving. Len is going to be coming over in his car and driving us to the event. He should be here any minute now. Even when I talk, Gakupo doesn’t really give me much of a reaction – he just stares out the window still. Ugh. Why can’t everything just go back to the way we were at the beginning? There’s been so many problems and all this pressure…

“I promise we’ll have fun tonight,” I continue, and stand beside him at the window. I gently place my hand on his back, and attempt to make eye contact. Our eyes meet, for a whole second… And then he looks away. Obviously there’s something on his mind. “Gaku-kun?”

He exhales deeply. “Why do I get the feeling you’re hiding something from me?”

That’s a sudden, hurtful question. But I immediately know what he’s referring to. I haven’t told him why I’ve been in a mood ever since I saw Kaiko, and I haven’t even considered bringing up my past with him. “I’m not hiding it on purpose,” I answer. That’s the best thing I can say, right?

Gakupo scoffs bitterly, in a quiet voice. That stings even more. I lower my mask, hanging my head slightly. “Something’s been up for a while. It only happened when we went to buy our outfits,” he continues. “If you don’t want to go to this event with me tonight, just say so. If you hate the idea of spending time with me _that_ fucking much...”

Ouch. So that’s what he really thinks. I don’t want an argument to erupt right before we’re supposed to leave – I choose my words carefully, to avoid talking about my past, but to calm him down. “You really think I hate spending time with you? After everything we’ve been through in such a short amount of time...” It pains me to even say these things. I suppose it’s my own fault he feels like I hate being with him, though.

“If it’s not that, then what?” And finally, he turns to look me dead in the eye – his pupils sparkle in a desperate, confused manner. There’s a very distinct sadness in the way he looks at me. “All this time, I’ve been thinking you’ve changed your mind about me and you’ve just been avoiding telling me just so you don’t hurt me.”

“Really, you’re looking too deep into it,” I say, with a soft sigh. It is pretty strange to see Gakupo so open with his feelings – so vulnerable. He’s usually confident, cool and in control. I suppose this is what happens when you really get to know someone. “I’m way past those childish commitment issues. You remember what I first told you, right? You’re special. I’m attracted to you, just like a magnet. That’ll never change.”

Gakupo’s expression softens to a more relieved look, and he breaks eye contact in an embarrassed manner. “I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid.” He half-heartedly laughs at himself.

I give a shrug. “Maybe just a bit...” I teasingly reply, a light smirk pulling at my lips. “But honestly, I get it. It’s my own fault for closing off my emotions. Gaku-kun, there’s… something I need to tell you. Not yet, but once we get home from the masquerade event, okay?” It’s only fair I confide in him. If he’s my everything, I want him to believe me when I say that.

Gakupo looks slightly worried when I mention that. “Okay. I understand. It must be serious, huh?” he guesses. My only answer is a nod. “I get it… Well, let’s just enjoy the night, hmm?” With that, he’s back to his usual self.

With a soft smile, I trail my hand up to take hold of his cheek. Connecting loving gazes, I press my lips gently onto his. It’s the sweetest kiss we’ve shared in a while. It feels like it’s been forever since we last made contact. I try to stop a few tears from welling up in my eyes, as the realisation that I’ve been so stupid hits me. I keep our kiss going for quite a while longer… Enjoying the blissful feeling of his warmth and passion. By the time we part, I’m breathless. “Gaku-kun, I...”

Just in time, there’s a loud car honking coming from outside. Of course. I can’t even finish my sentence. “Ah, that’ll be Len-kun,” Gakupo says, with a laugh. I feel his hand take hold of mine – he slowly pulls my hand away from his cheek, and his lips press against my knuckles. I can’t help but blush slightly at the gesture. “Come, let’s go. My handsome prince.”

“Handsome prince, huh?” I repeat, chuckling. “And I thought my ‘magnet’ metaphor was lame and couldn’t be beaten in terms of cheese.” Gakupo’s sweet laughter echoes in my ears, and he says nothing more as he drags me out of the bedroom with him, hand tightly wrapped around mine.

**...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this is the last time I bait you guys into thinking the masquerade ball is finally happening *insert skull emoji here* Next chapter, I promise~ Thanks loads for the support though!


	3. Control And Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night of the masquerade ball is here. My, I do hope you're prepared for what we have in store for you. This is the least you scum deserve.

The drive over to the event is a long one, and it mainly consists of awkward silence the entire way there. Len tries to make some small talk with Gakupo and I, asking Gakupo things like how he’s been after leaving school, and even asking about my life. It’s kind of annoying, to be honest, but there’s nothing I can do to shut him up. I simply mutter to myself in irritation, and turn my head to gaze out of the car window. It’s starting to get a bit dark out, but it won’t be fully dark for another hour or so.

“So, uh, Len…” Gakupo coughs lightly, starting some more small talk. I keep my eyes fixed on the window, watching the scenery pass by. We’re currently driving through the outskirts of town – there aren’t any notable buildings in sight just yet. “What exactly is this event for? I mean, I know you and the other guys were hired to plan it and all, but what’s the occasion?” Good question, actually. I’ve been wanting to know the same thing. For all we know, this could be some kind of shady drug trade stuff. Well… maybe a bit of an exaggeration there…

“The event building is owned by some hotshots in the Voca-Music industry; not super famous, but quite up there. It’s their daughter’s birthday tonight, and to celebrate, they want to host this huge charity ball for her. Apparently most of the funds are gonna go to sick kids in hospital and stuff,” Len explains. My eyes widen slightly as I hear this. If that’s the case, why the hell are nobodies like _us_ invited?

Also, I might be crazy. I swear Gakupo mentioned last month that Luka’s birthday is approaching ‘soon’. Am I just being paranoid for thinking these events are somehow connected? Then again, that should be impossible. I’m pretty sure Gakupo and I would know if Luka is related to some Vocaloid hotshots in the music business. But, still…

“Ah, I see,” Gakupo says, in a thoughtful tone. With that type of tone, I can’t help but get the feeling that he may be thinking the exact same thing as me right now. “That’s very nice of them, Len. I’m also happy to hear that you and the other guys are making your dreams come true.”

A bit more small talk goes on after that. It’s nothing of interest to me, so I tune out and wait for us to arrive. Although I don’t have to wait very long. After a few more minutes, the car comes to a stop. I snap out of thought and that’s when the bright, flashing lights and huge mansion catch my eyes. “Holy...” I gasp in amazement. I’ve only seen something so fancy, something so _expensive_ in the newspapers and stupid celebrity magazines that Miku used to buy.

“Here we are,” Len announces, turning to look over at us with a grin.

Gakupo and I exchange glances. He’s as shocked as I am to see this. I can’t believe I previously thought this would be a boring, lame night… This is just…! Do we get to live the life of celebrities for one whole night? I can’t deny how god damn amazing this will be. I thought it’d be some small event. God damn.

As soon as I step out of the car, I’m greeted by the sight of a freakin’ _lot_ of people, all of them dressed up and chattering in a lively manner. All this for one family and their daughter’s birthday. They must have one hell of a following. I can imagine something like this is being livestreamed to reach a whole bunch of other people online, too. I’m left speechless for a while, until Len speaks up again.

“I’m gonna go ahead and catch up with Oliver and the rest of the guys.” He says this mainly to Gakupo, and with a wave, he’s heading off into the crowd of people.

I stand at Gakupo’s side, letting out a heavy sigh. “Can you believe this?” I ask him.

When I look over to him, I catch him shaking his head in disbelief. “I didn’t realise my old school friends had made such a name for themselves. I’m kinda proud of them, but also pretty jealous. Imagine this being your life.” He gestures to all the upper class people before our eyes. Their dresses and suits must have cost more than my entire apartment. Hell, even one of these ladies getting her hair done must have cost more than my apartment. It’s almost too absurd to think about.

“Tell me about it. I don’t think I could handle it,” I answer. For a while, we stand out in the cooling air of the sunset, admiring the view. Just looking at the mansion in front of us feels like a great privilege. At this point, is it even worth attending this event?

“Well, if I know fancy rich people – which I totally don’t, this is just a guess – I’m going to assume we’ll be waited on hand and foot all night,” Gakupo says. I can’t help but laugh at that. Yeah, they’ll probably have hired some fancy, uptight waiters that carry around silver trays. “Heh, and an even bigger assumption… There may be a very big dinner in a couple of hours.”

I gasp at that realisation. Rich people food? Hell yes! “Oh, oh- Don’t forget! There’ll totally be extremely expensive wine, too.”

“Well, shall we go, Mr Shion?” Gakupo suddenly smirks, winking over at me.

Fuck, that stuck-up, rich boy imitation is perfect. I try my hardest not to snort. “Y-Yes, let us have a night to remember, Mr Kamui.”

He and I begin to make our way through the crowd together, raising our masks as we approach the front door. As I look around at the many different people, I see that almost everyone is following the masquerade theme, and because of that, I can’t recognise a single one of these potentially very famous faces. I suppose the whole ‘charity’ thing will be shrouded in anonymity. I won’t pretend to understand why they went for this type of event specifically, but that’s fine. It just means Gakupo and I can blend in and act like super rich people all night along with everyone else.

When we approach the front door, there are a few guards standing there – one of them holding some kind of device in his hand. It must be the most convenient way to check the guest list. There aren’t many people waiting to be let in right now, since the doors would have only just opened recently; everyone else around us is standing around and chatting away.

Our turn to enter comes fast, and the guard asks for our names. I allow Gakupo to answer. “Good evening. We should be filed under Len Kagamine’s guests. I’m Gakupo Kamui, and this is Kaito Shion.” He gestures to me, and I have to admit, he handled that very smoothly.

“Uh huh...” The guard mumbles, squinting between the two of us, and then down at the device in his hand. I try not to stare, but it really is quite interesting seeing this up close. He taps away at the guest list, and after a short pause, he nods in satisfaction. “Come on in, Mr Kamui, Mr Shion.”

For a split second, I was kinda worried we wouldn’t be allowed in, despite being part of Len’s ‘plus one’ guests. As soon as the guard says that, he pushes the front door open and allows us to enter. And oh boy, the second I set foot inside, I’m even more stunned than earlier.

We’re greeted by a generous sized entrance hall; directly in front of us is a large white staircase covered with a rich red carpet, and the hall itself is a shimmering, pleasant white marble. There are some large paintings hanging from the walls, one of them in particular being a portrait of the family and presumably their daughter.

Curious, I take a few steps closer to it. Although I don’t recognise the family, it’s quite a cute little portrait. The father is a red-headed, confident looking man. The mother is a soft-eyed, reserved purple-haired woman. And portrayed in front of them is a little girl, no older than ten, her pink hair tied up into pigtails; she’s hugging a stuffed bear.

“That must be their daughter,” Gakupo says from behind me, echoing my thoughts. Looking closer, I can’t see a date on the painting, so I can only assume it’s been done recently. “What a cute little girl. No wonder it’s a masquerade event. She must have chose it herself. I wonder how old she’ll be today.”

“Must be nice, having super rich and famous parents,” I laugh, feeling just a little bit jealous. It’s hard not to feel envious when you’re standing in the hall of a god damn mansion.

“Maybe...” Gakupo shrugs. “But if I could choose how to grow up, I’d keep my normal childhood, despite how much my parents may have struggled at times with money.”

Hmm. I guess that’s quite a hard choice to make. But for me, choosing between a messed up, not entirely well off family, and a happy, loving rich family… I can answer without hesitation which one I prefer.

“How about we go inside, anyway? Maybe we can grab a few snacks and a drink.” I move the conversation away from family life and all that shit, not wanting to dwell on it right now. I already have enough worries on my mind about telling Gakupo tonight. He nods in response, and we begin to make our way through the house. To the right of the staircase, there’s a large door, and I assume that’s where the main party is being held, since I can hear faint music coming from there.

This is gonna be one hell of a night, huh?

…

_[Miku Hatsune’s P.O.V]_

I can feel the soft vibrations of bass under my feet as I walk along the empty hall. No one is allowed up here, except for me and maybe sometimes family. I’m due to go downstairs in about two hours, once dinner is ready. My frilled white dress trails just a little bit behind me. I knew it’d be a bad idea to buy something that’s a bit too long. Hah, but _she_ tried to convince me that it’d look beautiful. I can’t say no to her.

I stop outside of a bedroom door at the very end of the hall. Everything is prepared for tonight. The bait has been set. All that’s left is for the rats to fall right into the trap. I lightly knock on the door, and wait a few moments for it to open. When it’s opened, I see her standing there in front of me. Her eyes light up, full of joy as she sees me. I feel the same way; my chest feels all warm whenever we’re together.

“Mi-chan…! Come in, come in!” She twirls around, and her curly pink pigtails flow gracefully with her as she does so. I follow her into the bedroom, closing the door behind me. This is our own private escape. We’ve given strict instructions that no one is to interrupt us until we come down to dinner. “Oh, you look so beautiful.”

“Ah, please,” I roll my eyes, a smile pulling at my lips. I can’t help but blush slightly. “You look way more beautiful.” Her long black dress fits her perfectly; it runs over her curves in such a gorgeous way, it’s like the dress was made for her and her only. Not to mention that one of her legs is on show – I have to resist putting my hands all over her.

“Nuh-uh. You do,” she smirks. As though she’s reading my mind, she takes a step closer to me, placing one hand on my lower back, and running her fingers through my free flowing teal hair with her other hand. She drags me ever so slightly closer toward her.

“Lu-chan...” I whisper, looking up into her mesmerising eyes. I could stare at them all day, getting lost in her very being. She really is the epitome of beauty, and sometimes I wonder if she’s truly a fallen angel.

Luka slowly pulls her fingers through my hair one more time, before grabbing hold of my chin with her forefinger and thumb and tilting my head back slightly. Within a mere second, her lips are on my neck – her hot breath tickling against my skin and teasing me. My eyes slip shut and I swear I’m in heaven for those few seconds. When she pulls back, she looks me in the eyes without saying a word.

My heart is pounding in my chest. I simply cannot get enough of her. Every time she kisses me, my entire body burns for her. “Lu-chan… Everything is set for tonight, right?” I ask in a whisper, while she caresses my cheek with the back of her hand. I reach forward and wrap my arms around the back of her neck, my head still tilted as I’m expecting more soon.

Wordlessly, Luka nods. “They crossed the line, and they have to pay,” she answers. I know who she’s referring to, despite her words being so vague. “We were just about to begin our lives together, break free from their chains… And look what happened.”

“I only got that gullible fool Kaito involved because you and I couldn’t be seen in public at the time. We weren’t ready,” I say, gritting my teeth together in annoyance at the mere thought of him. This past year has been incredibly difficult, trying to piece together my life and decide what the hell I want with my life. Trying to figure out how Luka will get away from her stupidly rich, controlling family – and how I’ll be able to drop everything and leave. Now we’re finally prepared.

“They must think we’re stupid,” Luka scoffs. “Heh… hehe...~ Maybe we really are fucked up in the head, Mi-chan. But those two falling in love wasn’t part of the plan. We have to put them in their place for trying to step out of line.”

“Love does wonderful things, my beautiful Lu-chan. It also brings out the insanity deep inside all of us,” I answer. She doesn’t need to explain anything to me, anyway. I’ve been on board with this plan ever since a few months ago. At one point, maybe I did love Kaito. Back when we were ‘best friends’. But I slowly realised, after spending so much time with him… How much of a fucking annoyance and burden he is. Why not screw up their lives as much as possible before Luka and I leave them behind?

“You’re right. Maybe we are insane. But it doesn’t matter… No one will care about them. No one will even know what happened,” she says, with a snort. “Don’t even get me started on Gakupo. I fucking despise him. This is the least he deserves after how badly he treated me all throughout high school and the entirety of our shitty relationship.”

“I’m so glad I met you and saved you, Lu-chan,” I whisper, with a sad sigh. Luka’s told me a lot about Gakupo. He used to bully her everyday, make fun of her appearance with his asshole friends, and always mocked her intelligence just because she’s a girl. And once Luka gave into peer pressure and began to starve herself to lose weight, that sleazy Gakupo came crawling and begged her for a chance at a date.

“I only went out with him because I was so desperate for love… I really thought he loved me,” Luka says in a low tone. There’s pain in her voice, and sadness sparkles in her eyes. It pisses me off beyond belief to see how much of an effect he still has on her to this day. “Three years with that dick… He started being nice to me over time, but the damage had already been done. Today, we can finally break free, Mi-chan...”

“I know, darling. Shh, don’t think about him any more. You’ll be free from him tonight,” I softly reply, leaning forward and placing soft kisses under her eyes. I kiss away her tears, comforting her the best I can. “Let me take your mind off that worthless, pathetic excuse of a man. We have plenty of time before dinner.”

“Heh...” Luka sniffs, wiping her eyes once I pull back. “You gonna make me work up an appetite for dinner, huh?”

“You bet,” I giggle, with a wink. I lean in and press my lips onto hers. I’m met with her immediately kissing me back passion, urging me to go further already. My heart starts to pound in my chest again after a few moments, that burning sensation taking over my body already. Fuck, I’m so glad we have two hours before we have to go downstairs.

Taking a breath for a split second, I go straight back to her and I can feel the whole room heating up. In the moment of burning passion, I push my tongue into her mouth and allow her to suck on it; I can’t help but softly moan at the delightful feeling.

We make out for a good couple of minutes, and though I start to grow breathless near the first minute, I keep going – unable to get enough of her sweet taste, sucking deeply on her tongue and exchanging moans. My entire body feels hot all over just from kissing her, and Luka must be feeling the same way. I trail one of my hands down from around the back of her neck, and trace my fingertips over Luka’s nipple. Smirking against her lips, I can feel that her nipples are getting hard already. I break the kiss, and she gasps once I start circling her nipple with my thumb through her dress.

“Ahh… M-Mi-chaaan...” she hisses, tilting her head back.

“You look so fucking adorable, your face full of pleasure like that,” I softly say in a teasing voice, observing the way her pink lips part, and the way her head tilts back… With one of my hands still around the back of her neck, I reach further down to grab at the top of her zip on her dress. I harshly push my lips onto hers while I yank the zip down as quick as I can. I swirl my tongue around hers once more, then finally find that I have more access to her body.

“Mm… So good,” Luka mutters, obviously loving every second of what I’m doing.

I slide her dress carefully halfway down her body, exposing her gorgeous big tits. I tut at her in a teasing manner. “Naughty. Not wearing a bra, are we?”

Luka snickers at this question. “That’s not the only thing I’m not wearing.”

“I’m surprised… but then again, not really.” This isn’t the first time she’s done something like this. A smile pulling at my lips, I lean down slightly to begin tracing my tongue lightly over one of her nipples; a delightful moan escapes her lips the second my mouth makes contact with her body.

“Ah, yeah… Right there...” she grunts, lowering a hand to cup my cheek and hold me in place. I can’t resist much longer. I need to touch and taste every inch of her, right now.

“Lemme get that dress off, Lu-chan. I need your beautiful body. Right… fucking… now...” I demand, looking up at her with lustful eyes.

“Ugh,” she huffs, rolling her eyes right at me. “If you get any crinkles or creases in my dress, I’ll tie you up later for punishment and shove a strap-on right up your pretty little ass.”

I can’t help but laugh wildly at such a specific punishment threat. “Don’t threaten me with a good time,” I smirk. Without wasting any more time, I push the rest of her dress down; she steps out of it, letting it fall to the floor in a near enough neat pool of black silk. She kicks her heels off and she stands in front of me, completely naked. “Gorgeous...”

“Well, don’t just stand there gawking,” Luka says.

I lower my right hand and spend a few seconds taunting her by running my fingers over her pretty light pink pubic hair, stroking her inner thighs with my fingertips, and then finally running my middle finger over her already soaked clit.

“You planning on taking your time?” Luka raises a brow at me, teasing me just as much as I tease her.

“Oh, trust me,” I say, promptly sliding my finger right into her lovely warm womanhood. “I’m gonna have my fun. This will take a _long_ time.” And with that, I begin to have my way with the love of my life. Everything is going to be perfect tonight.

…

_[Kaito Shion’s P.O.V]_

The first couple of hours pass by quicker than I expect. Gakupo and I had been served our first glass of wine near the start of the evening, and though we’re taking our time between drinks as we don’t want to get _too_ drunk, it’s helped all the nerves I felt earlier just melt away. An announcement is made that dinner is going to begin, and we have to all make our way into the dining hall. The door to get there is at the other side of the event hall. Just as I start to follow the crowd through, I’m yanked back by Gakupo’s hand around my wrist.

“Huh? What is it?” I pause in my tracks, turning to glance at him in confusion.

“You know… With everyone in the dining hall going to eat… This could be our only chance to truly get some time alone,” he says, in a suggestive tone. My eyes widen, as I instantly know what he’s hinting at. I admit, it would be the perfect chance to sneak away undetected. But… “C’mon. What do you say? We’ll go find a bathroom somewhere and we’ll see what happens.”

“W-Wow,” I stammer. It does sound exciting, but just, wow. “I had no idea you were into public stuff.” I awkwardly laugh.

“There’s no way we’ll get caught,” Gakupo confidently replies. He waves his hand dismissively as he talks. “We’re amongst a bunch of rich people. They won’t care – they’ll probably just think we went to get a drink outside or something.”

“Hmm,” I mumble. It takes me a few moments to truly think this proposal over. He’s crazy, but he’s totally right. The most it’ll take is half an hour. No one will bat an eye. I glance over my shoulder. Most of the crowd has disappeared into the dining hall. All that remains are a few guests, and two guards standing at each side of the door. “Fuck it. Let’s ditch. I’ve had enough of these stuck up rich people. Lemme just...” I gulp down the rest of the wine in the glass I’m holding. It gives me a little bit of a buzz. It tastes exceptionally strong in comparison to the other sips I’ve taken, but it’s probably only because I’m not used to such expensive alcohol.

Chuckling, Gakupo does the same as I, and then he grabs hold of my glass, setting them both down on a nearby table. We turn around towards the door we first entered through, and come back into the main entrance hall. There’s only one other door to go through, which is to the left. I have no idea where we’re supposed to find a bathroom, but it’s likely not on the ground floor.

I flick my eyes towards the staircase. There’s only a few couples hanging around in the entrance hall, some of them on their phones, others chatting amongst themselves. I guess they won’t care too much if we go upstairs. “I think we gotta go up.”

“Yep, looks like it. Let’s go.” Gakupo flashes an excited grin at me, before hurrying up the stairs. I follow him with just as much excitement. The sudden rush I’m feeling is exhilarating, and it’s making me pretty ‘excited’ in other ways. We reach the top of the staircase and find ourselves standing in the middle of an extended hall, which stretches out pretty far both ways.

“Ehh...” The whole layout of this mansion is confusing me. It only looks like a bunch of bedrooms along here. Then again, maybe we could sneak into someone’s bedroom… They can’t _all_ belong to family. Some of these rooms have to be for guests, as well. I look at Gakupo, and when our eyes meet, it’s like he can hear my thoughts.

“A bedroom isn’t a bad substitute. In fact, it’s a much better choice,” he suggests. He turns his head from left to right, scanning the halls. There’s no one up here – no rich people, no guards… Not even the family that’s hosting this. Perfect.

We head down the hall, but trying to push a few doors open proves to be unsuccessful. It seems like we’ll have to find a bathroom after all… That is, until we try just one more bedroom door, and to my surprise, it’s unlocked. We exchange curious, drunken glances, our eyes wide. “If someone’s inside, we’ll just say we were looking for someone and apologise,” Gakupo says in a low voice, announcing our back up plan. Sounds good to me. I nod in affirmation, a serious expression plastered on my face. He slowly pushes the door open. I hold my breath… and thankfully, it’s revealed that the room is empty.

We sneak into the room and shut it behind us. Once we’re inside and out of sight of any potential eyes, we both exhale in relief at the same time. Then, we exchange glances and burst out laughing. This is unbelievably exciting. “Hahaha…!” Gakupo’s adorable laughter fills my ears. “I haven’t had this much fun since… God… Years ago! You’ve made life worth living, Kai-kun. My days are filled with happiness, fun, and…” His words trail off, and our laughter fades.

Our eyes lock again, and I suddenly feel a bit light headed. It’s an overwhelming feeling, but I figure it’s just the rush of adrenaline and effects of the alcohol getting to me. It’s very reminiscent of my first time with Gakupo. The love of my life. “Gaku-kun, I didn’t get to tell you earlier...”

“Hmm?” Gakupo takes hold of my hand, gently pulling me towards the bed in the middle of the room. It’s big enough for both of us; it must be a couple’s guest room. We turn to face each other at the edge of the bed, and then he lowers my mask before also removing his own. “What is it, my handsome prince…?” His voice lowers to a sweet whisper, sending a warm shiver down my spine.

“I...” His hand gently strokes my cheek. “I think I love you, too.”

His eyes grow wide momentarily. He looks overjoyed upon hearing me return his feelings. The truth is, I’ve loved him since we first met. This just feels like an appropriate time to tell him. As usual, just like a magnet… We’re drawn together once more, our lips meeting for a blissful embrace. I sigh softly against his lips, and although we’re desperate to taste and touch each other, our kiss is slow and full of passion. I want us to take our time, to make this special.

“Mmh...” Gakupo mumbles in pleasure, pulling away from my lips ever so slightly; the vibrations of his delight-filled moan tickling against me. He twists his arm around the back of my neck, pushing his fingers up through my hair and holding the back of my head to pull me closer. The heat of the moment is starting to make me feel dizzy. It is just the heat of the moment, right…?

Before Gakupo can kiss me again, I find myself instinctively pulling away, my eyelids suddenly growing heavy. “A-Ah… I...” What’s happening? Why does my body feel so tired and weak out of nowhere like this? Fuck, my vision… I can barely see Gakupo’s face…

“Kai-kun? Hey, Kai-kun…!” I can’t see his face. Everything is blurry. I can feel a grip around me, but… I’m slipping away. His voice is full of terror, but even that’s starting to echo and ring inside my head. “Hang in there! I’ll call for help! Someone can call a doctor, so hang in there, okay?”

I can’t hang on… Everything feels _wrong_.

Another voice rings out. “Sorry sweetheart, you won’t be calling for anyone.”

“What the fuck…?”

My body refuses to hang on any longer. It’s impossible. Everything goes black.

…

Huh, how long have I been asleep for…? Has the party ended already – did Gakupo take me home? How embarrassing, I must’ve gotten too drunk. Agh, fuck… My head is killing me. I slowly open my eyes, and even doing that causes me immense pain. The bright light blurs my vision for a few moments, and at first, I have no idea where I am. I can’t remember what happened.

“Ah-!” I sharply inhale, as I quickly open my eyes upon registering I’m in somewhere unfamiliar. I thought I was at home because the feeling beneath me is a soft bed… But holy shit, I’m in some sort of basement. What on earth…? I try my best to make a move and jump off the bed, but my movements are cut short. I look at my body, only to realise I’ve been tied up. “What the fuck?”

I feel even more sick than when I first woke up. I get it now. I’m not drunk. Has someone… drugged me…? Shit, where’s Gakupo?! My mind is screaming, trying to understand what’s happened. I frantically dart my glance around the small room, and finally I see it. There’s another bed to my left. And…

“Gaku-kun, Gaku-kun…!” I yell out, voice filled with nothing but panic. Seeing him in the same state as me throws me into a worse distressed state – I only have a second to focus on him before some laughter comes from the opposite end of the room. I jolt in fright as a reaction, having no idea that there was someone else here. I swiftly turn my eyes to look at the other end of the room, or basement, or whatever this hellish nightmare is. There are two people standing there, and when my groggy mind finally processes who exactly they are… My blood runs cold.

“Ahaha...~ Gaku-kun, Gaku-kuuun!” The mocking voice of none other than Luka Megurine shouts out in a mocking desperate tone. She’s mimicking my exact fear-filled yell. Her hairstyle is different than usual, and she’s wearing a long black dress, but I’m still able to recognise her. The very sound of her high-pitched sing-song tone makes me grit my teeth together. My head starts to hurt again.

The one standing next to her… Miku. She’s in a white dress, and it’s like she’s the polar opposite of Luka, in terms of outfits. Where Luka’s dress is black, hers is white but short – where the bow around Luka’s dress is white, hers is black. I’m still confused. Shouldn’t they be away on holiday somewhere together?

“Wh… what the f-fuck… is going on…?” I stutter, tripping over my words. It’s suddenly very hard to speak. It comes out as a breathless whisper, but there’s deadly silence enveloping the basement, making it easy for me to be heard. “What… did you do…?”

Miku flashes a sickening grin at me. This isn’t the girl I know. Not at all. I clench my fists together as tight as I can in irritation. “Let’s call this revenge, Kaito. You stripped all control from us, you fucked up our plans…! So, now it’s our turn to regain control and make some new plans.”

I narrow my eyes. My brain can’t process this. Revenge, for what? “You… you know about Gaku-kun and I, don’t you?” That’s all I can come up with for now. But even if they do know, what the hell is this supposed to be, exactly? These girls are sick.

“We do. And honestly, it’s fucking disgusting,” Luka spits out. The girls take a few steps forward, edging closer to our beds. “Mi-chan. Go wake up dear Gakupo, please.”

“With pleasure.” Miku giggles, but the very sound just turns my stomach. I’m powerless – I can only watch as she approaches Gakupo’s bedside. A horrible noise resonates throughout the basement. My eyes grow wide in shock and unparalleled anger. She just slapped Gakupo across the face with so much force that his unconscious face twists slightly to the left from the right, and his eyes twitch in pain.

“What the fuck…?!” I growl in a low tone. I’m so pissed off, but I can’t defend him.

“Oi, wake up, would ya?” There’s another twitch, but nothing. Miku tuts quietly. When the next slap comes, I close my eyes as quickly as I can to avoid seeing it. If I can’t do anything to help, I at least don’t want to see this fucked up scene unfold. “Oi! I told you to wake up, you fucking asshole!”

I’m left speechless upon hearing such horrid, vile words spill from Miku’s mouth. Is this a nightmare? Just some twisted paranoid dream that my mind’s made up to torture me? When I open my eyes, I see that Miku isn’t standing in the same place any more. She’s back at Luka’s side, and when I look over at Gakupo, he’s slowly coming to.

His face twists in the same kind of confusion, realisation and shock that mine did when I first woke up. It’s so hard to watch. He jolts awake, and he sees the two girls quicker than I had. “Luka Megurine, you sly, psychotic bitch…!” Gakupo is furious the second he’s awake. He directs his wrath straight towards his ex-girlfriend, and it’s clear the girls didn’t give him the same treatment as me. Gakupo is far more aware of the situation.

“Big words for someone who’s tied up and who has no power whatsoever any more,” Luka fires back, not taking so kindly to his words as opposed to my reaction. So, it seems their revenge is mostly meant for Gakupo, and I just happen to be part of this whole thing due to our relationship.

“Kai-kun...” Gakupo finally looks over at me, and there’s the most heartbreaking expression on his face when our eyes meet. Tears uncontrollably sting my eyes. Seeing Gakupo so filled with panic just as I am… terrifies me. If he’s not confident and not in control, then what on earth is going to happen to us? “I’m so sorry I couldn’t get you out of there.”

“F-Fuck… Gaku-kun, I’m scared,” I whisper. I’m fully aware that I’m exposing my fears and insecurities to two potential crazy bitches, but there’s no other fitting reaction left for me to give.

“It’s okay. It’s okay...” He does his best to reassure me in that usual loving tone of his. It’s so warm, and I want to believe it’ll be okay. But it’s just as the girls said. We have no control, and they want revenge over some trivial bullshit.

“Jesus, this is making me fucking sick,” Miku scowls, interrupting us. “Enough already! You two… Ugh… After everything you’ve done to us – everything Gakupo did to Lu-chan… The way Kaito fucked up every little thing he touched, how he destroyed everyone he claimed to love, even his own sister…!”

“You don’t deserve happiness. Neither of you deserve to breathe after messing up our plans and lives!!” Luka finishes Miku’s sentence, except the pink-haired young woman is screaming at us in such a terrifying, threatening voice. She’s almost desperate. Definitely crazy. And it makes my heart pound in my chest.

However, my heart begins to race even faster in a split second when I see what Miku and Luka grab from a nearby small table. In each of their hands, they hold a short yet sharp knife. I feel sick all over again. I have to stop myself from yelling out in fear, although my lower lip quivers and my eyes widen once more.

“Is that why you’re so bent out of shape?” Gakupo scoffs all of a sudden, and it’s obvious he’s just putting on a confident persona for both our sakes.

“Gaku-kun, please don’t...” I beg him in a quiet voice. I don’t want him to get hurt any more than they’re planning.

“Just because I was an asshole teenager and made fun of you, Luka?” He ignores me, continuing to question his ex-girlfriend specifically.

“You… you…!” Miku jumps to Luka’s defense. “You never loved her – you were only pretending! The entire time, you were just looking for someone else to fuck, because you’re insensitive like that. You’ve never once considered Lu-chan’s feelings, never, never…!” She tightens her grip on the knife so much that her knuckles turn white and her hand begins to shake. My breathing grows heavy as the panic sets in.

“Every time you thrust your tiny, shrivelled up dick into me, you never once noticed that I was never in the mood. I never specifically said ‘yes’ to your advances, you made me feel so fucking powerless…!” Luka yells out, and her voice wavers. I have no idea what they’re talking about. Was Gakupo’s relationship with her… really that way…? No, Gakupo isn’t like that. Everyone makes mistakes when they’re an immature teenager. She’s blowing this out of proportion, I know she is.

“You told me how much you loved it all the time,” Gakupo defensively answers. “Don’t try to pull that ‘powerless’ bullshit on me. You just fell out of love with me eventually, and now you’re looking for excuses to be the victim and pretend that it’s all _my_ fault.”

“I fell out of love with you because I realised the love of my life was right in front of my eyes the entire time!” Luka shoots back, through gritted teeth. And that’s when I hear the most absurd thing I think I’ll hear all night. “I found my Mi-chan.”

That causes both me _and_ Gakupo to fall silent for a while. I don’t get it. Is she saying that, the entire time Gakupo and I have been together… she and Miku had been together for longer?

“That’s right. We realised our love for each other two years ago. Haha...~ You look so surprised, boys.” Miku admits something like that so casually, and that absolutely floors me. Two fucking years?

“Then what the hell were you doing with me?” It’s my turn to speak up and challenge the girls. Probably a bad move, but I need some answers here.

Miku casually shrugs, a sly smirk pulling at her lips. “I saw how much you broke some other girls, because of your pathetic commitment issues. You aren’t a man, you’re a stupid little boy. Too cowardly to break up with them to their faces, so you lied to them, and destroyed them,” she says. “I’m not stupid. I knew what I was getting into with you. That’s the whole reason I became your girlfriend in the first place. You’ve had this coming for a long time.”

“This is just absurd,” Gakupo finally speaks up again, and that’s similar to what I was about to say. “You’re this pissed off over something so trivial, things that happened so long ago. And you want to cause harm to us? What will that achieve, anyway? You’re just going to end up behind bars.”

“Tch. Or maybe in a mental institution,” I quietly add, rolling my eyes. I’m scared, but I need to try and appear confident.

“Not a chance, silly,” Luka suddenly smiles sweetly. “Who do you think the owners of this mansion are? How do you think we’re allowed in this part of the house?”

My mind quickly makes the connection. I briefly remember seeing the owners of the house in that portrait in the entrance hall. A man, a woman… And a _pink-haired little girl._ “Fuck. They’re your parents.”

“Ahh, shit...” Gakupo mutters, understanding the connection after I announce it out loud. Neither of us knew a single thing about Luka’s parents, nor her lifestyle or childhood. Neither of us could have seen this coming. Money is the true power in the Vocaloid world. These girls won’t see a single day behind bars if they decide to fully flip out and murder us.

“Heh. Enough of this shit talking, anyway.” Miku bitterly laughs. “It’s time we showed you just how painful it is to lose control… And how painful it is to watch someone you love get emotionally destroyed.”

…

_[Gakupo Kamui’s P.O.V]_

I can’t look Kaito in the eye during all of this. I don’t want him to see how badly this is affecting me. I feel sick to my stomach, I feel like I can barely breathe… And I’m hurting so much. I can hear Kaito’s quiet sobs – my heart is aching so bad, I feel close to exploding. I’m still tied down, so I can’t do anything but lie here and accept this. I hate this feeling of being powerless. I failed to look after Kaito, I failed…

Miku is currently on top of me. She’s been… violating me… for what feels like forever. My most intimate parts are all hers right now, and every part of me is trying so fucking hard to not feel pleasure, but it’s near impossible. I feel so sick. There’s no way my body can enjoy this. Yet, with every movement she makes on me… Fuck…!

I screw my eyes shut, doing my best to not look at her. I don’t even want to think about what Kaito is going through right now. Luka is right on top of him, too, and she’s being far more rough with him and slapping his face, and ordering him about. I can’t block it out. Every so often, I hear Kaito’s quiet sobs turn into a horrifying yelp of immense pain. She’s using the knife on him. I don’t know what exactly she’s doing with the knife, but Kaito is in pain.

I’m snapped out of thought, and my eyes jump open once again, as Miku smacks me hard across the face for what must be the tenth time. Please, just be over already.

“How does it feel, you worthless whore?” Miku asks, in possibly the darkest tone I’ve ever heard. It’s so sick, so twisted. “Losing all control isn’t nice, is it? Seeing Kaito in pain isn’t nice, is it? Is it?” She repeats her words over and over.

I have no answer. I haven’t been able to talk for the longest time, and knowing that she’s waiting for an answer is the worst feeling. I can’t find any words. And so, her only way of getting me to talk, is to drag the tip of the knife slowly all the way down my arm. I’m brought back from that dissociative state with a wheezing gasp, the pain all flowing back at once and knocking the air out of me. The blade hasn’t penetrated my skin at all, but she’s moving it so slowly that it’s leaving me breathless. The pain is indescribable. I haven’t experienced anything like this, ever.

And so, I’m forced to talk. But I don’t want to give into her. “You’ll… never… have power over me.” That’s the best way I can sting her ego and throw her off guard. It works. But only for a few seconds. She lifts herself up and slams straight back down onto me with everything she’s got – it causes my intimate areas to hurt even more than before, and I’m not sure how much more I can take.

That’s when I realise something. Whilst trying to squirm around and making an attempt to get free… The rope around my arms must have come loose. I find that my left arm has slipped free of their restraints. Is this… a miracle…? I thought I wouldn’t be able to get Kaito out of here. As long as Kaito can be free from this hell, that’s all that matters.

I gulp quietly. If I want this to work, I have to get Miku’s weapon. And _fast_. Even if I do get Miku’s weapon, I have to convince Kaito to muster up the courage to fight against Luka. I subtly trail my eyes toward Kaito, trying to ignore everything that’s happening in the moment – more specifically, I look at his arms. It doesn’t take long for me to see that Kaito’s arm is also free. He must be trying to think of a plan, or maybe he hasn’t noticed. They’ve fucked up big time, though. This means we have a chance. I have to be quick. Okay… _You can do this, Gakupo._

Swiftly, I lift my hand up – clenching my fist, I swing straight for Miku’s jaw with all the strength I can gather. As she’s so preoccupied with her attempts at controlling me, she doesn’t see it coming. I waste no time; in her confused state, I make a grab for the knife in her hand. To my surprise, the first part of my plan works. But the second she cries out in pain, Luka is looking over, so I have no time to plunge the knife into Miku’s body. Instead, I wrap my other hand around her neck and apply a light pressure. Enough to choke her, but not enough to knock her out yet.

I should have guessed that Luka would fight back, however. She freezes, pulling herself off Kaito and immediately reacting by pressing the blade of the knife right against his throat. I hear him gasp out, a shocked look in his eyes. I quickly shove Miku off my intimate area, and move the knife closer to her stomach.

“Lu-chan…!” Miku gasps, looking over to the pink-haired girl with genuine fright in her eyes. She’s the one who’s powerless now. But Luka is still holding an advantage over me.

“Let her go, Gakupo.” She makes her demands, but I’m not going to give in.

“Only if you let Kai-kun and I go,” I retort.

“You’re delusional. Release Mi-chan, otherwise your precious boyfriend here will die. Don’t test me.” Luka is just as fiery, and it’s obvious she isn’t bluffing. She presses the blade tighter against Kaito’s throat, and I can hear him choke out. There are tears in his eyes.

I make eye contact with Kaito, trying my hardest to silently tell him that his own hand is free. That he should strike the second I fight against Miku. Wordlessly, I see Kaito gulp and subtly nod. We really are one in the same. Soulmates. He understands what I’m telling him to do.

“You should just give up and accept your fate...” Miku sneers in a low voice, her cold eyes piercing through me. What were her words? ‘Bold words for someone who’s tied up’? Essentially, someone who’s not in a position of power. Yeah. Bold words for someone who’s just about to get hurt.

I feel a pang of guilt as I look into her eyes, however. I see nothing but a broken, psychotic girl who got too out of hand. I won’t kill her… But this is the only other option I have. I blink twice over at Kaito, wanting to give him the signal in a subtle manner. I take in a deep breath to steady my shaking hands… And without a second thought, no more hesitation, I force the knife straight into Miku’s stomach with all my strength. It’s _hard_ to get it to pierce the skin, but the second I do, I shove her off me and she crashes to the floor.

“You… you fucking bastard…!” Luka roars. She has no time to react. The distraction works. Kaito acts very bravely, gathering up the courage to strike. I watch as he grabs hold of Luka’s wrist – it’s a hard struggle to watch, but I can’t get up just yet. Luka almost gets the knife into a fatal point, but Kaito shoves her arm far enough away from him and he snatches it from her grip.

I flicker my eyes to Miku who’s sprawled out on the floor. She’s too weak to get up. I feel like I’m going to vomit, knowing that I’m the one who did that to her, and that I must leave her and hope she lives. I use the knife to slice through the rope, which leaves various bloodstains all over the bed and even some on me. When I’m off the bed, my entire body stumbles from weakness, and I dash over to Kaito’s bed. He’s struggling to fight Luka off, as he’d been drugged earlier, so I have to help him right now.

When Luka sees me coming toward her, she grits her teeth together and slowly backs away from Kaito. She knows she can’t fight both of us. She instead drops to her knees at Miku’s side, her head hanging low.

“Kai-kun...” I whisper to him, dropping the knife in my hand. He’s already cut himself free, and when he stands up, I have to catch him so that he doesn’t fall. Our clothes are ripped and a mess. The girls left our top half untouched, but the zips on our pants and our underwear have been torn at and all sorts. Kaito is so pale and ice cold to touch. I hold him in my arms, and when he manages to lift his head up, there are tears in his already red, stinging eyes.

“Grr… I’m… I’m…!” Luka grumbles to herself, and in a moment of rage, she yanks herself up from her knees. Her hair is a frizzy mess, her make-up ruined, and all she’s wearing is a tattered black dress, no shoes. There’s blood splattered onto her legs, and she looks truly insane. She stares directly at us with evil, chilling eyes. “I’m going to fucking kill both of you!!” She screams, but she has no weapon.

“You didn’t win, Luka...” I say in a low tone. I’m exhausted. The adrenaline rush I got from harming Miku is gone. But I need to get Kaito out of here. And with those words uttered, she drops to her knees again and begins screaming and crying to herself.

“G-Gaku...kun...” Kaito breathlessly hisses. He looks faint again. They must have somehow slipped those drugs into his drink, and his only. I need to get him home… But I’m so tired.

“I’m here for you, Kai-kun. I’m right here for you, I promise we’ll get home,” I softly tell him, but I don’t think he hears me. His eyes have slipped shut and his body suddenly gets a lot heavier to manage. “Fuck.” I take in a deep breath to compose myself, and with every ounce of strength that remains in my body, I haul Kaito up and carry him in my arms. He’s sleeping like a baby, and I’m carrying him like a husband carries his new bride. Or, like a knight in shining armour carries their prince.

I walk past Luka, not looking back at her even once. She brought this on herself, over some contrived bullshit revenge plot. My mind is still racing that I can’t even process everything that just happened… But that doesn’t matter. I clench my teeth together, shoving the door open with my arm. The staircase ahead is pitch black – only a dim light from the bright basement lights up part of the way.

Slowly, I carry Kaito up the stairs. Every single move burns. My legs want to give in so badly. It’s hell just trying to get out of here. Finally, I reach the top, and find myself in a now equally dark mansion. It must be extremely late at night. There’s no one here any more. The entire place is strangely abandoned. I get the chilling feeling that this may have all been some kind of sick set up from the start… A charity ball as a front. A cold shiver runs down my spine.

I navigate through the darkness the best I can, and eventually find myself in the entrance hall. I can just make out the outlines of the huge staircase, and the paintings hanging from the walls. Firstly, I move toward the front door. It slowly swings open when I push it, and although it’s surprising, it’s the least of my worries right now. The freezing cold night air blows against us harshly the second I set foot outside. There are no lights around anywhere. Everyone that was here before is now gone, not a single person or car to be seen. I breathe heavily, wondering how the hell I’m going to get home from here. We’re in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in the outskirts of town.

“I can’t...” I quietly begin to sob, finally breaking. I’m not strong enough. I hate myself so much for giving in, but I need to sleep. “I’m so sorry, Kai-kun. I’m so sorry.” I slowly lower myself onto my knees, laying Kaito onto the cold hard path halfway away from the mansion. We’re close to where the cars stopped earlier, but I can’t reach there. I lie down next to Kaito, completely giving in and shutting my eyes.

Everything is black for a while… But suddenly, I hear a voice.

“Gakupo-kun! Oh no, no, no… Gakupo-kun! Answer me, please! Waahhh… Otouto-chaaann…!!” A young woman yells out, in between heavy sobs. “H-Hang in there… Hang in there…!”

Before I can open my eyes and try to see who’s there, my body gives in once again.

**...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not done yet. :^)
> 
> Also fixed a very glaring error in which "someone" referred to Kaito as 'oneechan'. Whoops.


	4. Bitter Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some magnets aren't as strong as others. I had to learn that the hard way.

I awaken with a sharp gasp. It’s as though all the air has been sucked from my lungs. I jolt up in the process, covered in sweat. “Kai-kun!” When I come to my senses properly, I realise that I’m in a dimly lit room… and I’m laying in a bed. My breathing shallow, I dart my eyes around the room, wondering where on earth I am. “Am I really…?” My words trail off. I’m confused. How did I end up in a hospital?

I glance down to my arms, noticing the bandages wrapped around quite a few wounds. Upon seeing the bandages, it all comes back to me. Last night… “No, no, no!” I yell out in fear, those twisted giggles echoing in my mind. Even the recollection makes my skin crawl. No, that’s an understatement. There’s an unnerving sense of terror in the pit of my stomach, and the flashing memories of last night make me want to scream and cry.

I clench the bedsheets with sweaty palms, breathing heavily. I don’t know who brought me to the hospital, but I have to get out of here. Right now. I have to find Kaito and make sure he’s alright. Anything could’ve happened to him in the space between when I passed out and woke up here. I take a second to compose myself, although it barely works – I shove the bedsheets away from me and rush to my feet.

“Shit-!” I curse through gritted teeth, immediately dropping to my knees as I stand. My palms crash to the ground, catching my fall, sort of. I still probably look pathetic in this position. I can really feel the weight of my body right now. I’m still exhausted and my eyelids are heavy but there’s no time to waste. Taking in a deep breath, I pull myself up to my feet.

Just as I regain my composure, the door to my room swings open. A doctor enters, holding a clipboard in her hand. She looks preoccupied with some papers until she flicks her glance up at me. I raise a brow. I suppose I should’ve expected someone to come in here sooner or later.

“Oh. Kamui-san, you’re awake.” She looks back down at her clipboard, lifting a sheet of paper up to look at the ones underneath. “And you’re out of bed?”

“I really can’t stay here,” I say. I’m in so much pain but I need to get to Kaito.

“I’m sorry, but we need to do a health assessment. And you haven’t been discharged yet. You’re not in the best condition right now,” she answers.

“Please, you don’t understand,” I hiss in a low tone, my breathing growing heavy. I can barely talk without the pain getting worse. “I need to find my b-… my partner. He was with me last night when we got hurt.”

The doctor looks troubled upon hearing that. “Yes, I have been made vaguely aware of your circumstances last night, but the one who brought you here-”

“Wait,” I interrupt. I feel bad for being rude and cutting her off, but I need to know just one thing. “Sorry, I… uh… who the hell brought me here last night?”

“That would be your partner’s sister. She phoned for an ambulance. You’re quite lucky she got there so quickly, in fact.”

Kaito’s sister? Oh great, that means another person who knows about my relationship with Kaito. But still, I’m incredibly thankful. That must mean Kaito is in the hospital, too.

“Anyway, that aside, you really should be resting, Kamui-san. If you’re worried about your partner, then you needn’t worry any further. He’s just a few rooms down – his sister is with him.”

I let out a sigh in relief. I can feel my breathing getting a bit easier after hearing that. “Even so, I really...”

“Let’s get this health check done first, okay?” The doctor laughs lightly.

“Alright, alright...”

…

(Kaito Shion’s P.O.V)

“Nngh...” I groan, opening my eyes again. I can’t get comfortable. The doctors and nurses have done all they can to ease the effects of the pain and being drugged, but I still have one hell of a headache. It must be the stress. I can barely remember what happened last night and that’s what annoys me. I also really want to see Gakupo right now.

“Hey now, try to relax, silly.” My sister lectures me once more, looking up from the book she’s currently fixated on.

I let out a huff in irritation, sitting up in bed. I reach behind me and fluff up the pillows, rolling my eyes as I answer. “I can’t relax. I’m too stressed out and far too sore.”

“Gakupo-kun is perfectly fine. He’s in good hands, you know,” Kaiko pouts at me.

“I take it you know everything that’s going on between him and me.” I avoid eye contact as I say that, laying back down in bed.

“Yeah, well, about all that...” Kaiko’s words trail off. She bites down on her lower lip and quietly shuts her book. “Otouto-chan, I… mm…”

Why does the atmosphere suddenly feel so tense? I haven’t seen Kaiko this serious, ever since… A couple days ago. I remember now – at the fancy dress store in the mall. She looked apologetic yet guilty. She apologised for something that she’s hiding from me. “Kaiko, please tell me.” I slowly sit up in bed, as much as it hurts to do so.

Just as she opens her mouth to talk, the door to my room creaks open. We both immediately dart our eyes towards the door at the sound, and I break out into a huge grin when I see who’s standing there.

“Gaku-kun! You’re okay!” I raise a brow as I take in his appearance, noticing the bandages. “Aha… mostly.”

“Kai-kun… Oh god, don’t you even worry about me. I’m so glad that you’re safe.” He hurries to my side and before I know it, I’m being crushed in a tight hug. Tears grow in my eyes – mostly from relief and a rush of emotions, but also partly because of the excruciating pain.

“Hnngh- G-Gaku-kun...” I weakly laugh against him.

“Ah! I’m sorry…!” He releases me from his strong loving grip and instead rushes to pick up a chair. He pulls it over to sit at my bedside, and then continues smothering me with his affection.

“You’ve got good timing, Gakupo-kun...” Kaiko quietly says, with a shaky giggle.

Gakupo squeezes my hand. “I got away from those doctors as soon as I could,” he says, looking between Kaiko and I. The warmth of his hand makes me feel safe, but I have the feeling that this tense atmosphere is only going to get worse now that Gakupo is here.

“I was just about to tell Kaito something important, y’know,” she continues.

“Oh...” Gakupo looks at me in confusion. I’m just as confused, naturally.

“You’re right, Kaito. I did know about your relationship with Gakupo-kun.” The way she says it… It’s so casual. Like she’s not even angry at all – more… apathetic?

“Well, shit,” Gakupo mumbles under his breath. It’s quiet enough in this room that it’s easy for me to hear. “Look, if you’re mad at anyone here, be mad at me. I suppose I’ve been the asshole in this entire situation.”

“Huh,” Kaiko suddenly scoffs. I’m surprised at how bitter she sounds. I remain silent, wanting to hear exactly how this will unfold. It’s not going to be pretty, especially in the hospital while we’re both recovering. “Trust me, I’m mad at you. Both of you. Well… I was… I don’t think I am anymore.”

“Kaiko, I know this is a touchy subject for you...” This is a good place for me to chime in, considering Gakupo knows nothing of our upbringing as kids. I don’t want Gakupo to find out this way, but if this is how it must be… Then that’s just fucking great.

“You have no idea, Kaito…!” She barks at me, through gritted teeth. Shit, maybe I didn’t choose my words carefully enough.

“It’s not like this isn’t hard for me, too,” I calmly respond.

“I don’t _want_ to hate you. I don’t _want_ to hate people like you…! But your _kind_ destroyed our fucking family, Kaito!” I didn’t expect her to spell it out so bluntly. Knowing that I’m that ‘kind’ and knowing how she views us… It stings.

“Gaku-kun...” I look up to him, at a loss for words. Our eyes meet, and the look in his eyes is a mixture of anger and sadness. And I know that when Gakupo is upset, he lashes out in defense.

“Oh, don’t worry, Kai-kun. I get it,” Gakupo tuts, before trailing his glance to my sister. Fuck, the tension is so thick now. It’s almost hard to breathe. “So… our ‘kind’, hmm?”

“Yeah. Your kind. I knew because Miku told me. And I helped them plan out their payback.”

My eyes grow wide uncontrollably as I hear those vile words escape my sister’s lips. No, that’s not my sister. That thing sitting in my sister’s chair… makes me feel sick.

“I don’t believe it...” Gakupo whispers. I watch him closely for his reaction, and then I realise he’s about to get up and pounce. I can see his clenched fists shaking.

“Gaku-kun, no!” I’m quick to throw my arms around him near enough a split second before he prepares to get to his feet. “Agh-!” I gasp out in shock at the sharp pain in my chest from moving so quickly. The important thing is that I stopped him.

“Kai-kun, you idiot…!” Gakupo turns his attention back to me. My forehead is pressed against his chest, tears forming in my eyes. I don’t want him to cause anymore trouble, and I don’t want anyone else to get hurt again. “Lie back down and let me give this bitch what she deserves.”

“Tch, you’re all the same… your kind… aggressive…!” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. What has this monster done to my real sister?

“Nnngh...” I grimace, slowly moving back to lie down in bed. I take in a deep breath through my nose, clutching at my stomach. “Gaku-kun, please don’t do anything stupid...” I weakly beg him, and to my relief, he stays in his seat.

“Anyway, it’s not like I went along with their plans to drug you and kill you,” Kaiko says, and that’s when I hear her voice break. “I thought they were just gonna embarrass you in front of people you knew or something like that… Maybe make a scene in public to humiliate you. I swear, I had no idea of their true intentions.”

Even so, the fact that my own sister went behind my back because of some pent up bullshit from years ago… “Jesus, I know our childhood was far from easy, but why would you do this to me?” I growl in a low tone. I’m growing more and more annoyed with each second that passes; the more I learn, the more it kills me on the inside.

“Because of people like _him!_ ” Although she points to Gakupo in a fit of rage, I know deep down who she’s really referring to. “He corrupted your mind and took you away from me! You told me you would never-”

“Kaiko, don’t finish that sentence.” I’m quick to cut her words off, knowing that if she repeats those horrible words I once spoke many years ago, Gakupo would never look at me the same way again.

“What the hell is she talking about, Kai-kun?” He directs his confusion toward me.

“I only did this because I thought it’d make you see sense, Kaito. I wanted my brother back. _He_ stole your innocence and made you believe you were one of them…!” Her ramblings are growing increasingly pathetic and desperate. Any sympathy I felt for her at the start of this mess is gone. “But still… I’m so sorry for what those girls did to you… I’m sorry for hiding it from you. You don’t know how guilty I feel for letting them do it. You could’ve died, but… But I just wanted my little brother back…!”

“Give me a fucking break,” Gakupo scowls, not showing a shred of empathy for her either. “We’re both in hospital because of you, Kaiko. Yet you’re telling me you’re the one who’s so hurt? I won’t pretend to understand how bad your childhood might have been, but it’s still no excuse to sink to Miku and Luka’s level of psycho.”

I remain silent. I really don’t have anything left to say to Kaiko.

She looks at me, her eyes pleading for me to come to her defense. “Aren’t you hearing any of this, Kaito…? He’s being so aggressive… I’ve done all I can to apologise, yet you’d rather choose him over me?” Her voice trembles as she darts her glance between Gakupo and I.

“I think you need to leave, Kaiko,” Gakupo says, in a calmer tone now.

“I don’t understand… Why did you let him corrupt you, Kaito? You’ve changed… You swore you’d always stay by my side!” She starts lashing out again, refusing to accept that she’s in the wrong. And this time, I can’t stop her from shouting. “You said you’d never get involved with those types of people after what happened… Even when you told me you were questioning your sexuality, you promised me you would never give into those feelings, because you knew how wrong and vile it was! You knew it’d tear us both apart, and you hated yourself because you constantly felt sick and disgusted!”

I grit my teeth together in irritation. I told her not to say that, not in front of Gakupo, damn it. I’ve just about reached my limit – I can’t handle her shit any longer.

“Kai-kun… It’s not true, is it…?” Gakupo asks quietly. I can’t even look him in the eyes. I have no idea how to answer that, and I have no idea how to calmly deal with my sister.

“I supported you through that tough time… But no, you just had to go ahead and get fucking wasted and make that one mistake that night, just like Dad!!” Kaiko screams. I can see the tears pouring from her eyes; her face is red, too.

“Kai-kun?”

“For fucks sake, Kaiko…! Don’t you think I regret doing that? If I hadn’t made that one fucking mistake just like Dad, we wouldn’t be in this mess! I wouldn’t have almost died! Do you think I _enjoy_ being known as the miserable failure – do you think I _enjoy_ being the one to ruin our relationship? You know I would go back in time and do it differently if I could! I didn’t want any of this stress and pressure…!”

And just like that, I tremendously fuck up. I’m trembling with rage. All the pressure I’ve felt for the past couple of months has reached its boiling point and now I simply can’t help but scream what’s been on my mind for what feels like forever.

Breathing heavily, the room falls silent. Those few seconds of silence feels like an eternity… and by the time I’ve calmed down and realised what the hell I’ve just said, it’s too late.

“That’s all I am to you… A mistake?”

Not even Kaiko speaks up.

My eyes grow wide as I slowly turn my head to look at Gakupo. His expression is that of an immensely pissed off one – not to mention heartbroken beyond belief. Oh, no… No, no, no... What the fuck have I done? “Gaku-kun, I didn’t mean-”

“You fucking asshole!” he spits, standing up in a rage. His chair falls backward and slams against the floor just from how quickly and violently he moved. Tears roll down his cheeks. “After everything I’ve done for you… After I accepted you even though I knew you had issues… After I saved you from fucking dying last night! Oh…! Hahaha… But of course, you wouldn’t have been in that situation if it weren’t for me in the first place, hmm? If you hadn’t fucked up and met me?”

Shit, why did I even say that?! My mind is racing as I try to think of something – anything – to say! But I know just how greatly I’ve messed our entire relationship up because of being pushed to breaking point by Kaiko. No… I can’t blame Kaiko totally for this… “Gaku-kun. It just slipped out. I didn’t mean any of it, I swear.”

“No, no. I get it. That’s all I’ve ever been to everyone in my pathetic fucking existence. Just a bad mistake. I should’ve expected this from the beginning. I’m a god damn idiot for expecting otherwise,” Gakupo says, in an oddly calm tone. But I know he’s trying to hide his pain through anger, like he always has in the time we’ve known each other. It stings so bad to hear these words coming from him… Because now that I’ve finally gotten a glimpse into the mysterious life he lived, it’s already too late to comfort his scars.

“Please, don’t go. Just let me explain everything...” I sit up in bed, but it’s far too agonising after all this shouting and stress. I cough violently, squeezing my eyes shut and slipping back down onto the bed.

“You know, I really hoped you would be different, Kaito.” Gakupo takes one last look at me. Our eyes meet. I can see that fire in his eyes, along with the pain and sadness. If he goes, I won’t be able to run after him. I’m still in a really bad condition. I hold my hand out in a feeble attempt to stop him, but of course, he rushes out of the hospital room with a slam of the door behind him.

My lower lip quivers. I don’t know whether to scream or cry right now. I stare at the door and hear his footsteps fade away. Instead of crying or screaming… It turns into relentless, burning wrath. “Get the fuck out of here now!” I hurl my anger toward Kaiko, whom I no longer consider my family.

She stares at me, all wide eyed as if she has no idea what just happened. As if this isn’t her fault. “Kaito… I know you’re mad, but we have each other now...”

Wrong answer. “You have five seconds to get out of here before I call for security to have you removed. You’re not my sister. I don’t know who the fuck you are, but I’m warning you right now to fucking _leave_ and never contact me again!”

Wordlessly, Kaiko frantically nods and picks herself up from her seat, book clutched against her chest. She hurries out of the room just a couple of seconds later, leaving me all by myself. The last thing I want is to be alone when I feel absolutely wrecked, but the only one who can comfort me is long gone thanks to the fuck up of the century I just made.

“Fuck…!” I squeeze my eyes shut once more, knowing I just need to force myself to go to sleep, so I can forget all about this for just a little while. I always mess everything up in my life. I had some disgusting thoughts up until just recently, but I’ve been so blinded by my hatred for my father and screwed up childhood that I never truly understood love until I met Gakupo. He helped me understand what it feels like to truly be alive – to experience real love, without fear of being left all alone. Secure, warm, happy… That’s what I feel with Gakupo… And now it’s gone…!

The worst part is… that I might have to let him go. There’s no way we can ever come back from this. I will try, but I know it won't end well Just as I finally find real love, it fades away. Why… does fate have to be so cruel…? I thought magnets couldn’t be ripped apart so easily. It seems I was wrong.

**...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whahahaha this was written in a state of madness with a combination of heartache and suffering
> 
> it's been a while since i had time to write and the angst was screaming my name
> 
> please enjoy (or you can just cry, that's ok too)


	5. Drawn Together

I head home as soon as I get the chance. I’m discharged from hospital after staying overnight on the day I was first brought in. The doctors wanted to watch over me to make sure I didn’t get any worse. To be honest, I’d have been happy if my condition mysteriously deteriorated, as part of some freak accident or side effect of the drug I was slipped. I feel worthless ever since my break up with Gakupo.

On the morning I’m discharged, I find myself standing outside my apartment. It’s been standing empty a lot more lately, as I spent more and more time over at Gakupo’s place. But now it looks like I’ll be staying here for the foreseeable future – until I get enough money to move out of this shithole town. Now that nothing is keeping me here, I can focus on my studies, get some kind of more serious job to pay the bills, and set my sights on a realistic career. I only have a year left at college, so now might be the best time to start looking.

The doctors did tell me to take it easy for a couple of days, though. So I suppose I can rest for today and go back to college tomorrow. It hasn’t exactly been easy – working a part time job, studying at college _and_ making time for a relationship, but I made it work because I thought we had a future. Gakupo and I. Looks like it’s down to just me again.

I head into the kitchen. My stomach is rumbling. I haven’t had a whole lot to eat these past couple days – it’s probably a good idea to whip up something healthy for myself. I don’t even feel as hungry as I should after such a huge incident. Looks like it’s just sandwiches for me. Still, maybe this is a wake up call. If Gakupo doesn’t want to talk when I reach out to him, then I’m done with relationships for good this time. I need to work on myself and my future – love just can’t fit into the picture for a good few years now.

Oh, and it does hurt. That pain in my chest isn’t just the knife wounds. I’m doing everything in my power to not break down crying right now. I take in a deep breath. “Time to be strong, Kaito Shion. Part of being strong means eating good stuff.” I quietly talk to myself. I should go shopping soon, too. My fridge hasn’t been stocked up for a while because I usually eat meals with Gakupo.

Sighing lightly, I reach up to open the cupboards. Brown bread, check. I check the rest of the kitchen and scrape together some things – I find some cucumber and tomatoes, along with some tuna. Good enough.

Once I prepare my sandwiches, I take my plate through into the living room. I take a seat in front of the TV and set the plate onto the table. I pull my phone from my pocket, deciding that I should make some contact with Gakupo before eating. It’ll be on my mind all day if I don’t do it now, so I get it over with. As I navigate to the dial pad, I feel my heart beat a little faster in my chest. He’s going to be pissed if he picks up. I don’t know what I should say to him.

Shaking my head, I call his number. There’s the soft beeping noise as I wait for an answer. It makes me feel even more nervous the longer it beeps. Just as it’s about to automatically cut off, I hear an impatient sigh in my ear. “Gaku-kun?”

“I only answered to tell you to delete my number.” Even though he sounds as irritated as I expected, I’m strangely relieved to hear his voice. I’ve been going crazy and it’s only been a day. I wish I could see his face.

“W-Wait, don’t hang up...” I stop him just in time. Another sigh.

“I can’t believe you have the nerve to call me and beg me to forgive you after everything that happened,” he scoffs.

“I’d rather not talk about it over the phone, actually,” I shyly say. “Um… I don’t suppose there’s any chance of us meeting up? I really want to sort this out.”

“What’s there to sort out?” Gakupo asks, and though it’s obviously rhetorical, I answer anyway.

“You know, just my… massive fuck up...” I halfheartedly laugh. “You know I’ve been under a lot of pressure with all this. I already said it, but I didn’t mean to hurt you. It came out wrong.”

“It’s obvious you’ve been thinking that stuff all along,” he simply says. “I can’t stay with someone who thinks meeting me was a mistake. I’ve already been fed enough lies when Luka and I were still together. I can’t take that again.”

“Please, let’s just meet up and talk this out,” I respond, growing kind of desperate at this point. He isn’t budging at all.

“It’s not a good idea, Kaito.” I can hear just how much he’s hurting. I hate myself, knowing this is all my fault. Sure, it’s Kaiko’s fault too, but I should’ve kept calm. I lost control and I’m not proud. “I really thought you loved me.”

“I do love you…!” I immediately answer, gripping my phone tighter in a panic.

“It’s just like Kaiko said, isn’t it?” he asks. I’m confused until he continues. “All this time, you’ve been confused with your sexuality… because of your father, right?”

I lower my eyes as he says this. I’m not sure what kind of answer to give him. “I was going to tell you, Gaku-kun. Remember…? Before we went to that ball, I said I had something to tell you.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Gakupo sighs. “That’s all I was to you. An experiment, because of your conflicting sexuality. You made a mistake and now you’re even more disgusted with yourself.”

“That’s not… not true, damn it…!” I huff, trying not to yell and blow his eardrum out. “Let’s just meet up.” How many more times do I have to ask?

“I can’t. I don’t have any time this week. I’m taking on more work,” he answers.

“So let’s go next week.”

“Didn’t you hear me? I can’t.” He repeats, in a stern tone. I don’t get it. “I’m leaving by the end of the week. I need to get out of here and forget all about this place.”

“Wh-What…?” Sure, I’ve been planning to _possibly_ move in the future – but only if things don’t work out with Gakupo. But he’s made up his mind so soon. He’s really serious about this. I can’t help but stammer.

“I’m taking a train out of here. Please Kaito, if you really do love me, don’t try to stop me. I’m not meant for this type of life here anymore.”

“Gaku-kun, no...” I whisper, my eyes growing watery. A pang of guilt and sadness strikes deep in the pit of my stomach. “L-Let’s at least… at least try...” It’s come down to me begging and sniffing. How pathetic.

“We have such different lives, you and I,” Gakupo softly speaks. “I have some dark shit haunting me that I need to escape… And you need to work on yourself – fix yourself, and learn to love yourself for who you are. We can’t do either of those things if we’re still together. I was a mistake to you anyway, so there’s no ‘together’ to begin with.”

“How many times do I have to tell you… You weren’t a mistake…! I love you!” Of course, my cries fall upon deaf ears.

“I’m leaving, Kaito. First train out of here on Sunday morning. Goodbye.”

“Gaku-kun, no! Please, no!” He doesn’t even hear my pleas. He hangs up as soon as he utters the word ‘goodbye’. I slowly lower my phone with a shaky hand. I’m left with tears on the brink of flowing out of my eyes for a while.

Is it selfish of me… if I try to stop him next week…? If he’s getting the first train, he should be at the station for at least 6 or 7am. But he told me, if I really love him, to let him go. I can’t just let him go without fighting for him. I blink away the tears, sniffling. I rub at my eyes and attempt to regain composure. I can’t get too stressed out right now, in any case. Today’s my day of relaxation. Funny though, my appetite is almost completely gone.

I’ll have to decide what to do later. I have all week, anyway. This will be the hardest decision I’ve had to face in a long time. It’s even harder, with the leftover trauma from the other night… I keep getting flashes of a dark room whenever I close my eyes, and it terrifies me that I’ll have to face all this alone.

I don’t know what to do.

…

I wake up with a sharp gasp for the third time that night. Except this time, it’s growing light outside and the birds are happily chirping away. I breathe heavily, covered in a cold sweat. That’s another nightmare. Every single time, I keep waking up, expecting Gakupo to be by my side and to hold me in his arms. For him to run his fingers through my hair and reassure me. It’s absolute torture, to say the least.

I glance over to the clock hanging on the wall. 6am. In all my panic, I almost forgot that I told myself I’d be heading back to college today. I _could_ try to call in sick or something… But I know I can’t spend another day staring at the walls and enjoying my own company. I’m definitely going to go insane if I don’t get some fresh air. Besides, those nightmares are enough to motivate me to get outside and slowly attempt to forget it all. Those flashes… I can see it all. Piece by piece, my memory is coming back to me, and it’s horrific. That twisted look on Luka’s face, the blade she holds in her hand… The worst is the way she violated my body.

I shudder, before wiping the sweat off my forehead. I can’t go back to that place. My mind just can’t wander back to that. I won’t allow it. Going back to my daily life won’t be easy to adjust to straight away, anyway. I’m miserable at college – seeing Gakupo after a long day is the only thing that kept me from giving up altogether. Ugh… Come on, Kaito. No more negative thoughts.

I go about my usual morning routine, although today I feel a lot more sluggish than usual, which is to be expected. I spend five minutes too damn long in the shower – getting lost in thought, a bad habit of mine. All I have in stock for breakfast is a chocolate bar, so I’ll be even more prone to getting lost in thought during classes… This is just great. I’ll have to hit the grocery store after college, for sure. Even though I paced myself like I do every other morning, I end up leaving the apartment fifteen minutes late.

“Fucking… shit…!” I cuss, in a hissing breath, slamming the door behind me. I shove my key into the hole but it gets jammed – perfect. I grit my teeth together and make an almost comical attempt to yank the key back out after locking up, but no matter what I do, it doesn’t shift until I give it my all. It hurts like hell, and when it finally comes free, I almost fall right back onto my pathetic ass. I catch myself before doing so, yet a sharp pain shoots through my body. “Fuckkkk…!”

That incident sets me behind another five minutes. Throwing my backpack over my shoulders, I walk as fast as I can to the bus stop down the road. There’s a stop just outside of campus. I normally take a leisurely stroll to college if I’m not: in pain, and already twenty minutes behind. I can’t even run to catch a bus.

When I finally make it to the bus stop, I’m left panting heavily from all the strain. It’s incredibly warm for the time of morning, and I just so happen to be wearing a hoodie, mainly to cover up my bandages and not draw any attention to myself. Let’s hope I don’t rupture something and start bleeding internally. My hands pressed to my knees as I bend over, I take a moment to catch my breath.

“Yoooo, Kaito-kun!”

“Wah-!” I jump out of my skin, startled at the loud greeting from a familiar voice. I bolt upright from my heaved over, pathetic position – to see a girl with short blonde hair, a giant white bow upon her head, and a pair of oversized headphones around her neck.

“Woah, down boy! I didn’t mean to freak you out!” Her gruff chuckle meets my ears, and then she flashes me a big cheesy grin. Ah, this girl… She’s one of my classmates. I wouldn’t exactly say we’re friends but it’s not like we’re strangers. We usually work together during class for projects, although I barely ever see her outside of college.

“Oh… Morning, Rin...” I mumble, feeling faint. I’m going to have a heart attack one of these days, I swear. I plop myself down onto the bench in the bus shelter, breathing heavily once more. I can feel her eyes following me as I sit.

“You’re getting the bus?” She raises a brow, casually sitting down beside me. “Dude, something must be up.”

“Uh, yeah. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m twenty minutes late,” I snort.

“Ouch,” she chuckles. “Hey, you okay, for real? You look kinda pale...”

“Just sick, I guess,” I shrug, avoiding the question. I don’t want to give her too much information. I do trust her, but nobody needs to be handed my heavy load. “What about you? Alarm didn’t go off again?”

“Nah… Nothing like that...” she nonchalantly answers, giving a smirk. “I had my morning blaze run over, that’s all.” In case one couldn’t tell – Rin is one hundred percent the stereotypical stoner type. But she’s super chill, which is why I like her. She’s down to earth and doesn’t carry around any drama, which is still a surprising problem amongst our classmates despite our age.

“Ahah, I see.” I lightly laugh, nodding. “I’m usually on top of everything as you know, but...”

“Mm, yeah. You’re like a total nerd and teacher’s pet. Nothin’ wrong with that, of course,” Rin says. “But I totally get the vibe that something major happened.”

She doesn’t know about my relationship with Miku, or with Gakupo. I tend to keep my personal life and college life completely separate, that way nobody has any dirt on me when the chance arises. “You don’t know the half of it,” I sigh. I feel like I’m drunk and talking to another random drunk about my life problems. “I know it’s totally lame and you’re way above all this drama, but… It’s relationship issues, actually.”

Rin smiles sweetly, waving her hand dismissively. “Don’t be silly. Relationships are so serious and precious. It’s not just petty drama that I’m magically above,” she responds. “I’ve had my fair share of heart breaks. Shocking, I know.”

Not really. Rin keeps her personal life to herself, too. Apart from oversharing about her blaze sessions, she never tells me anything about her family, love life, or whatever else. But I figure she’s a person just like me. And people typically have relationships… and typically get their heart broken. “Sorry to hear that.”

“Hehe, no worries, dude.” She giggles, before letting out a sigh. “So, how bad is it?”

“Uh… I fucked up pretty bad, actually.” I quietly admit, lowering my eyes to my feet in shame. I know Rin won’t judge me but it still feels crappy.

“How ‘bout you and I have ourselves a little lunch date, hmm?” Rin offers. “My treat. We have a two hour lunch period today, as you may know. Let’s go somewhere nice and quiet, and you can tell me all about it.”

This is the first time Rin has offered to get lunch together. We kind of just go our own ways during breaks and all… But I guess she’s sensitive and sweet after all. It sure is nice to have a friend to rely on during these dark days. I give a nod in response. “Thank you. I really need it,” I answer, making sure to let her know I’m grateful.

“No worries, no worries.” She slowly nods. “I’ll help you get through class this morning, don’t you even worry about it. We’ll do some fun shit, alright?”

I don’t know how to make Literature classes fun, but… Fuck yeah. I really regret choosing Literature as my major, in case it isn’t obvious. I pull a smile anyway. “Yep, sounds good to me.” As we agree on our plans for the day, the bus pulls up to the stop. Perfect timing. Taking in a breath, I stand up and prepare to step onto the bus.

…

“I’m just not sure what I should do, you know?”

“Hmmm...” A long, thoughtful hum comes from Rin. She’s got an intense contemplative expression on her face right now – her forehead is kind of creased and her eyebrows furrowed. Considering I just dumped a huge load on her, I’m surprised that this is the _only_ reaction she has right now.

I survived my morning class, but mainly only because our teacher didn’t give us a ton of work to do at home. Rin dragged me to some pizza place near the campus for lunch. Normally I’m super excited to devour some pizza, but now… Well, anyway, we’re both sitting on some grass back on campus, down to the last few slices of our extra large pizza. Damn it, this should taste extra good considering it’s free, but it just doesn’t.

“That’s a tough one,” Rin finally says, breaking the silence. I’ve explained about as much as I can, leaving out the horrible details of the masquerade ball and such. I just poured my heart out about Gakupo and our current situation, and boy, it got messy. Tears involved and everything.

“Yeah,” I mutter in agreement, lowering my eyes to the grass. Hanging my head in shame, more like. I know I’m capable of fucking up and I know I have uh, fairly mild commitment issues… But I really do think Gakupo is the one this time. I’ve told Rin all of this already, too. “It’s love, for real. It can’t be for the best if I just let him go, can it?”

“Mm, that’s what I’m tryin’ to figure out right now, dude,” Rin sighs in an impatient tone, though I don’t think the feeling of impatience is towards me nagging her for answers. More like she’s irritated at herself for being unable to give me any answer at all. “I’ve dealt with some messy shit myself when it comes to love. But uh… Not this messy. They never gave me a chance to make things up, ya know?”

“Ouch...” I rub at the back of my neck. That’s pretty brutal. Perhaps I should be lucky I have a choice to begin with. I stuff the last bite of my pizza slice into my mouth. When I swallow, I decide that I’ve had enough. “Yikes, this really isn’t like me. I’ve only had a few slices – normally I can shove down a whole lot more on a good day.” The thought of trying to consume more just makes my stomach turn and my heart twinge.

“It seems like you really need him,” Rin pipes up. I trail my glance back up at her. Her eyes are full of determination, urging me to do the right thing. “You know exactly what you have to do, don’t you?”

My mind has been screaming at me non-stop today. I slowly give a nod. Of course I know what I have to do… That doesn’t mean it’s a good decision.

“Don’t second guess your gut, Kaito-kun.” She narrows her eyes at me, as though she’s some sort of mind reader. Creepy. Perhaps my face is just giving my internal thoughts away, though. “If Gakupo-kun didn’t care about you, he wouldn’t be so hurt. It sounds like he’s trying to run away from your problems… And we both have experience with running away, huh?”

Oh, I may have mentioned my terrible track record when it comes to previous relationships. I’m lucky she hasn’t judged me hard for that. I never straight up admitted I technically cheated on Miku, but I’m sure she can infer that just fine on her own. She’s smart, after all. I give a nod in response, wordlessly.

“So… Don’t let Gakupo-kun run away and make the same mistakes that you’ve made. It really sounds like you have something special, if you buckle down now and make it work.” She then flashes a soft, reassuring smile at me.

I can’t help but feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders from that warm look in her eyes alone. It’s been a while since I really had a close friend. I shut myself off most of the time because I thought all I needed was Kaiko and Gakupo. This is a good wake up call, at the very least. Suddenly, as my mood has been significantly lightened, an uncontrollable chuckle escapes my lips.

Rin raises a brow at this. “Now, what’s so funny?”

Ah, sorry Rin. I’ll have to keep this one to myself. Still, I just can’t believe this is what my life has become in just a day without Gakupo. Here I am, sitting in an open field with a large pizza, getting one-hundred percent, deadly serious relationship and love advice from a certified stoner. It’s bizarre.

I dismissively shake my head, smirking lightly for a moment or so after my laughter stops, before letting out a heavy sigh. “Just some crazy thoughts, no need to worry about it.”

“That’s totally suspicious, but alright,” Rin snickers as an answer. “So, uh… When do you plan to stop him from leaving?”

Shit, I hadn’t even thought of those details. I rub at the back of my head, going into serious mode. “Haaa...” I groan, now faced with the decision of how exactly I can catch him without being told to piss off. Even if I did show up at his house, it’d be a waste of time. “He told me that he’s busy all this week. He’s working overtime and extra shifts to get more money. I think it’ll be impossible to meet up with him during the day. And if I show up at his place at night time… Ugh, it won’t end well.”

“Tch, tch...” Rin tuts, shaking her head at me. A mischievous grin pulls at her lips. Huh? “Haven’t you even _heard_ of doin’ it the cliché way, boy?”

Uh oh. That glint in her eyes is incredibly scary. Just what kinds of cliché is she pulling up in that mind of hers right now? What outlandish plans is she coming up with while I sit here worrying?!

She slams a fist against her palm after some silence, eyes lighting up. “Aha! Of course!” she proclaims loudly, catching the attention of a few nearby students. I can feel their eyes digging into us. Oh lord, have mercy.

“Well, do share...” It’s going to involve embarrassing myself in public, isn’t it? Excluding this current humiliation.

“You’ll have to go all romantic and catch him at the train station!”

See, I did think of that earlier… and promptly realised how utterly ridiculous that is. There’s no way I can predict what time he’ll arrive at the station, and I don’t even know which platform he’ll be waiting at, and-!

“Yo, Kaito-kun, focus!” Rin is apparently right up in my face now, snapping her fingers in front of my eyes to gain my attention. Blinking, I’m brought back to reality from my panicked thoughts.

“Woah…!” I instinctively lean backwards, a pout pulling at my lips. That train of thought really didn’t feel as long as it must have been. “Okay, okay. I’m back.” Rolling my eyes, I lightly swat at her wrist to make her move away.

“You did hear what I said, right?” She scoots back into her original place on the grass.

“Unfortunately,” I grumble under my breath.

“I heard that!” She scolds me, tutting again. That tone is high-key threatening, so I pay attention, even though it’s going to be a terrible idea. “It’s the only chance you’ve got, soldier. Unless you wanna say bye-bye to lover boy, you gotta get your ass to the train station _sharp_ on the morning he’s due to leave!”

This is absolutely fucking insane. It’s disturbingly surreal just how weird my life has gotten, between being tortured and then in hospital, and now here… Geez. Frowning lightly, I manage to get a few words in. “I don’t even know where to find him, or what time to be there.”

“Mmm...” Rin taps at her lower lip in thought for a moment. “Has he ever mentioned like a dream holiday, or somewhere he’d love to live someday? He wouldn’t be going somewhere unfamiliar, no way.”

“Ugh...” I hiss, immediately racking my brains for some sort of clue about where he’d be headed. I grit my teeth together, furrowing my brows in serious thought. He’s literally never mentioned that kind of thing to me, because I always thought our future would involve staying here at home. While focused so hard, I realise that I’m subconsciously holding my breath… “Hah! Shit!” I gasp, losing my train of thought thanks to the need to breathe.

“I take it you have no idea...” Rin slyly teases me. I see that subtle smirk on her face, damn it.

“It’s not my fault he never talked much about his personal life, or what his life was like before me,” I scoff, rolling my eyes. I sigh, beginning to idly run my palm over the blades of grass, growing tired. Lunch period must be over soon and I still have no idea what to do.

“Yeah, sounds like there’s a reason for that… Maybe he’s not trying to escape just you.”

It’s a weird analysis coming from an outside perspective, but it’s mostly on point. Gakupo vaguely mentioned that in his life, he’s always been seen as the ‘mistake’ and he’s viewed mostly as a fuck up… I’ve been so self-absorbed about my own pathetically tragic childhood that I never even considered Gakupo’s might have been even more messed up. This is exactly why he and I should’ve sat down and talked this shit through, so we could understand each other to the core. Although, I avoided telling him my past for so long, like a coward… and now…

“No, I get what you mean,” I respond, giving a slight shrug. I tug on the grass, closing my eyes for a moment to try and process everything that’s happened. I’m going to need to really unwind after all this is over.

“Anyway, uh… I guess we can sort out the details later.” Rin pulls her phone from her pocket and glances down at the screen. I raise my brow in curiosity at the mention of a ‘later’. Looks like she isn’t done helping me yet. “We got about fifteen minutes to walk back to our building, otherwise Sergeant Shithead will have us hung up by the balls.”

“By the- Wh-…?” I can’t even finish repeating that. I simply stare at her, deciding not to state the obvious ‘you don’t have balls’. It’s true, anyway. Our next teacher is one hell of a mean bastard, and if we’re even one second late, we’re fucked. “Oh, and… later?” I pull myself up from the grass, stretching myself out with a heavy yawn.

Rin jumps up in a more enthusiastic manner than I did. “Yeah! We haven’t finished planning, after all. You need to be fully prepared for when the time comes next week, so I’m gonna keep helping you out. Mind if I come crash at your place later? We can walk back together tonight, if that’s cool.”

I’m honestly not used to someone being so friendly without some kind of ulterior motive. I secretly wonder how much I’ll owe her later. Perhaps she’ll have me complete her next two or three assessments… Hmm, it’s worth it. “Yeah, sure. I could use some company tonight anyway, I guess.”

“Awesome. Let’s get going to our next class anyway, dude,” she smiles.

This is just my life now. I have a new best stoner friend, it seems. I can’t complain, if she’s going to help me get the love of my life back. I don’t have a lot of confidence left in people, but Rin just feels different to me. I can trust her, in the same way I trust Gakupo… Except obviously, I’m not looking to smash. Still, tonight will be fun. It’s time I get my man back.

…

_[Sunday morning]_

I haven’t been able to sleep. I keep waking up during the middle of the night, and before I know it, it’s already 5:30am. My alarm normally disturbs my sleep and annoys me, but this time, I’m prepared for it. I reach over and switch it off just a few seconds after it starts loudly beeping. I roll over onto my side with a groan. I wish I didn’t have to do this… Why can’t everything be normal…? Ah, of course, because I messed it all up.

There are so many worries flooding my mind right now. What if it goes wrong? He might not even be at the station when I get there, or he might just ignore me and walk away. Ugh…! I can’t back out now, not after all the help Rin has given me this week. She’s been incredibly supportive during classes and has kept me company outside of college, when she doesn’t even have to. That girl just might be my best man at my wedding with Gakupo.

My plan is all set, anyway. Rin suggested I go full cliché and pick up some flowers and chocolates for Gakupo. She also told me to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness, but I think that’s pushing it a little. But the flowers and chocolates isn’t such a bad idea. Gakupo isn’t really one for excessive romantic gestures but he has to appreciate this. I hope he does.

I can’t wallow in bed any longer. I have to get to the train station for 7. A pout pulls at my lips as I shove the bedsheets off and slip out of bed. Thanks to Rin and I doing some detective work through the week, I have a better idea on where Gakupo might be going.

“ _You really have no idea where he could be going?” Rin squinted her eyes at me. This was our third meeting of the week and we still hadn’t made much progress._

“ _He literally never talks about his family or friends,” I sighed in response. “Well… Except for his Mom, I guess...” Wait, could that be it?_

_Rin gave me the same wide-eyed, hopeful look that I probably had on right now. I was gobsmacked – how hadn’t I thought of that before? “Perfect! His Mom! Does she live around here or somewhere else?”_

“ _Uhh… Hmm, he did say he travels out of town every few months to go see her.” It was hard to remember exact conversations; things that were said casually with no further explanation needed. I never_ _dug my nose in_ _because it wasn’t my place,_ _so I didn’t know any more than what he said._

“ _Oh, this is good, this is good!” Rin clapped her hands together in glee, eyes sparkling now. She stared intently at me, like a kid eyeing up her new toys for Christmas. “Please tell me you know where exactly she lives.”_

“ _Ah, shit...” I muttered, my words trailing off. I was at a loss for words because I didn’t think Gakupo mentioned those details. “All he ever said was something about the fresh countryside air, how much he loves that kind of place...”_

“ _Well, there’s only one train that passes through the countryside around here. The others all go into the big fancy cities, for high maintenance workers and home of the Vocaloid pop-stars.” Rin faked gagging at the mention of those stuck up Voca-Stars. I couldn’t help but shudder, thinking of a certain pink haired girl. That wasn’t important though. There was only one train, so that was where I’d have to be._

Platform 5. I have to get there fast. By the time I’ve had a quick shower and dried off, it’s just past 6am. I make sure to grab a light snack on the way out, although I don’t think I’ll really need it. My stomach is going crazy with nerves and I’m filled with uncertainty. Rin also took the time to read up on the schedule for what we think might be Gakupo’s train. That’s definitely excessive but I don’t mind. I’m just one step closer to being pathetically desperate, no big deal.

I hop on a bus that goes directly to the station to save time. When I walk toward the back of the bus to lay low, I see a big white bow poking up from behind some seats. I raise a brow, immediately recognising that accessory. Placing my hands on my hips, I cough loudly. She’s trying to hide on purpose. Damn it, just what the hell is she doing here?

The bow slowly rises up, and I swear I hear a slide whistle in the distance. Her face pops up with a nervous grin. “Hehe… Heya, Kaito-kun...”

I grumble, clutching my forehead. I slip down onto the nearest seat. “Alright, don’t drag this out. What are you doing? And don’t say you get this bus every Sunday morning at 6am.”

Rin gives a shrug. “I’m, uh… goin’ to meet my… dealer…?” she says in a low tone. That’s pitiful. “Gah, fine! I was gonna go spy on you and your man.”

I dig my glare into her without a word.

“Hey, hey, don’t look at me like that!” She grows more frantic, waving her hands the sharper my stare becomes. “It’s just been a while since I’ve seen such a beautiful romance… You’re so dedicated to him, it’s super inspiring!”

“Jesus fucking chr-”

“Look, teenage dramas don’t do it for me anymore! I need to experience real love first hand!” she dramatically interrupts me. This is the first I’ve seen this weird side to Rin. I guess she’s a girl after all, huh.

“You know, you could just get a da-”

My suggestion for her to find her _own_ love story falls short as she cuts me off again. “Just grant me this one thing, okay? You won’t even know I’m there. I’ll just, uh… lay low. I’ll sit on one of them benches and cover my face with a newspaper. Real inconspicuous like.”

I raise a brow. I’m genuinely speechless. Yeah, that’s totally invisible of you, Rin. I curse under my breath before groaning and giving in. Who am I to deny a hopeless romantic a first hand look at true love? If that’s what Gakupo and I even have anymore. “Fine, fine. I give up. Do whatever you like.”

“Aw, yes!” Rin brightly smiles. “Look, look. The station is coming up. You get off first so it doesn’t look suspicious.” She points out the window – I follow her finger and realise that the train station is indeed almost in sight.

“Alright. Wish me luck.” I take in a deep breath and stand up. Just as I begin to take a few steps forward to ring the bell, I feel myself being pulled backwards as Rin tugs on my scarf. “Wh-?”

“Where are the flowers and chocolates?” she scolds me, just now realising I’m without any.

“Uhhh...” I hesitate to answer her. I dig my hands into my pockets, wondering if I’ve got any spare money on me. “Ah!” My eyes light up as I pull out a note big enough to afford some flowers and chocolates. Well, cheap ones. I’m on a tight budget here.

“Good enough…” Rin chuckles, rolling her eyes. “Go on! Go!” She then pushes me forward, giving me enough of a head start.

“Oof...” I grunt. She sure does push hard. I stumble forward but catch myself quickly, and after a few moments the bus pulls to a stop. Rin is right behind me, but I truly am alone right now. This is going to be hard. Shaking my head lightly, I step off the bus and head down the path into the train station.

The automatic doors slide open – when I enter the station, I’m greeted by the many loud sounds of chatter, overhead announcements, conductors shouting and trains pulling in and out. I gulp, though I find my mouth has gone dry. There are so many people here already and it’s still pretty early. It’s going to be impossible to find Gakupo amongst all these people, so I better get closer to the platform.

I start to push my way through the crowd of people, firstly looking for a shop that sells what I need to give to Gakupo. I head to the left of the entrance, where most of the shops are located. There also aren’t many people coming in and out of the shops, so it’s easier for me to squeeze in. I let out a sigh of relief as I push the door open. It’s some sort of convenience store – one that sells snacks and other last minute essentials someone might need before going away on holiday. It’s a pretty small shop. It feels kind of cramped but there’s a nice cool breeze blowing in from the AC; makes a difference from the sweaty atmosphere outside.

The shopkeeper eyes me up as I take a slow walk around to check out what’s for sale. I can feel his eyes digging into my side. It’s incredibly uncomfortable but I’m not in the right kind of mood to tell him to fuck off. “Lookin’ for something, pal?”

I narrow my eyes at him, trying my best not to scowl. I’m not your ‘pal’, you damn asshole. Still, I remain cool and answer him. “Mm, yeah. Don’t suppose you sell flowers here?” I’ve had a glance around but can’t spot anything like that.

He chuckles in a mocking manner, leaning forward on the counter. “Oh, you need some flowers, huh? And you thought this was the best place to look?”

Seriously. Why is this guy being such a dick. I talk through gritted teeth. “Just in a hurry, I suppose.” It must be almost 7 by now. I’m really running out of patience here.

“Well, it’s not my fault you thought it’d be a good idea to waste time here. You get what you see here – you see any flowers, buddy?” he scoffs. I think my eye just twitched. “Lemme guess, you want a fancy box of chocolates too, huh?”

As a matter of fact, yes. And I can’t go somewhere else because I’m running out of time. “I wouldn’t exactly say fancy...” I avoid going down the irritated road. “Just give me your cheapest chocolates, okay? And where can I find some flowers around here?”

The shopkeeper lets out a hearty laugh. “Maybe if you used your eyes, you’d have seen the flower store next door to me. You know, the place with a bunch of flowers sticking out front of the shop.” Fuck. “And cheapest chocolates? Sure, pal...”

I can tell this asshole mustn’t get many customers. The shop is empty, so he must torment anyone else who steps foot in here. I watch as he turns around to the shelf behind him; he reaches up and pulls down a heart shaped box with a cute little ribbon wrapped around it. He turns back and slams them down onto the counter. I raise a brow, looking at the box in confusion, then slowly trail my glance back up to him.

“Ten dollars.”

“Te- What?!” I stumble over my words, practically choking. Ten dollars for a small box of chocolates? I can’t handle this for another second. “You’re just taking the piss outta me now, aren’t you, you asshole?”

“Woah now, enough of that language. I’d like to remind you this is _my_ business, so if you aren’t happy, you can get lost.” His tone turns sour at this point.

“You’re killing me here, I swear-! C’mon man, just give me a smaller box for like three dollars or something.” I’m at the point of begging. I don’t have much time. I can hear the seconds ticking away in my head, the more time I waste arguing with this loser.

“Three dollars?” He repeats, this time it’s his turn to be shocked, apparently. “What do you think this is, a charity?”

“This is daylight robbery, you smug son of a-”

“Ugh, I’m so sorry. We’ll be getting out of your hair right away, sir.”

My words are cut short just before I start cussing the shopkeeper out. A voice comes from behind me – I slowly turn around to see Gakupo standing right there. God, he looks amazing… He’s gripping a suitcase handle in one hand, and the other is rested firmly on his hip. My heart skips a beat, and I immediately feel my cheeks heat up from embarrassment. I can’t believe he heard all that. I’m such an idiot.

“Is this your friend? I’ll have you know he’s been verbally abusing me for the past five minutes!” The shopkeeper starts acting all innocent, directing his frustration to Gakupo now.

“Oh, is that so? I’m very sorry for the trouble caused. Like I said, we’ll be leaving now,” he says, flashing a soft smile to the man. When our eyes finally meet, his expression fades and he glares at me with cold eyes.

“Yeah, you get out of here!” the shopkeeper huffs.

I roll my eyes and follow Gakupo out of the shop, letting him go first. When we step back out into the train station, he takes a few steps forward and shakes his head. He turns to look at me again. “Gaku-kun...”

“You don’t know when to quit, do you?” He stops me before I can say anything more. He grips the handle a bit tighter, clearly annoyed, but also hurt. “You mustn’t love me at all if you’re still trying to chase me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous… I’m here _because_ I love you!” I insist, clenching my fists together in desperation. It’s so hard to hear myself think with all this noise around me. Or perhaps it’s just the nerves amplifying everything around me, making this so much more unbearable.

“Kaito-kun, just go home.” Gakupo won’t budge once again. Without saying anything else, he begins to walk, headed toward one of the platforms. I’m stuck to the spot for a couple of moments, fighting with myself on what to do – stay or go.

“Gaku-kun!” I call after him, quickening my pace to catch up with him. I shout his name a few more times as I follow him, but he doesn’t stop or look back at me at all, so I have no choice but to follow him right to the platform. I have no idea where I’m going to top it all off, which is just fantastic. I blindly follow after him until we arrive at the platform. There’s a train standing, ready to leave as soon as possible.

“Why aren’t you gone? Why do you have to make this so hard?” Gakupo spins around, sounding distressed. He doesn’t yell at me but he doesn’t exactly speak calmly. “I don’t want to go, but you gave me no other choice…!”

I gulp quietly. This section has less people around, which means I’ll definitely be drawing more attention to myself. I glance around, and to my right, I can see a white bow popping up from behind a newspaper. Jesus christ. I shake my head and turn my attention to Gakupo. “You haven’t given me a chance to explain at all.”

“What’s there to explain?” He narrows his eyes, folding his arms over his chest impatiently. A pout pulls at his lips. “You made it pretty clear how you feel about me.”

“I’ve already said so… I was going to explain everything after that masquerade event. But I never had the chance,” I sigh. “I swear, I was going to tell you. I didn’t want you to find out through my stupid sister…!”

“It’s still pretty fucked up, you realise that, right?” Gakupo takes hold of his suitcase handle. “You said I was a mistake.”

“I don’t have any excuse for what I said...” I lower my eyes in shame. “But I didn’t truly mean it. I was so stressed out, and I wanted to shut my sister up, so… It just came out… But you don’t understand just how much you mean to me! I’ve never been more sure of anything – of anyone – in my life. Please believe me.”

Gakupo exhales deeply. There’s a pretty long silence. All I can hear is the sound of the trains and more chatter in the distance. “I don’t know if I can trust you… I can’t be hurt again.” He finally speaks up, and it’s not what I wanted to hear.

I rub at the back of my neck, trying to work out what I can possibly say to make him believe in me again. All I have to offer him is words – that could end up being meaningless to him. “I...” My words trail off. I flick my glance over to Rin for a split second. This might be my only chance. Ugh… Swallowing my pride, I lower myself onto one knee and look up into his eyes.

“K-Kaito-kun…?” Gakupo is the one lost for words this time. His eyes grow wide, and I can see a blush form on his cheeks.

I take in a deep breath. I can hear some whispering around us, and even worse, I can feel pairs of eyes being dug into me. “Gaku-kun, I…” I reach out and take hold of his hand. “I don’t have much to offer you except what you might think are empty words… but I _can_ offer you my undying love. I promise I’ll do my best to never hurt you again; I’ll support you everyday, dedicate my life to you – to us, for a bright future.”

“Kaito-kun, please...” Gakupo lowers his head, though he averts his eyes from mine.

“Before I met you, I was lost and so confused, for a long time. I had no idea what I was doing when it came to love – I didn’t even _want_ love, I just wanted to fix an empty hole in my heart with meaningless affairs. But… but the night I came across you, and the morning after I woke up and saw your face… Looked into your eyes… I knew I would want this – want you! - for the rest of my life. Fate brought us together for a reason, Gaku-kun. I feel alive with you, I finally feel that I’m in love! Please, please… don’t leave me…!”

I have no idea where all these words are even coming from. I had no idea I could be so poetic and beautiful. But looking into those mesmerising eyes of his, it all comes naturally. I’m on the verge of tears here. My heart is pounding hard in my chest and I find that I’m short of breath, cheeks burning.

Our eyes finally meet. I can see a faint glimmer of hope there. Just in time, a conductor blows his whistle to signal that the train is going to leave in a few moments. Gakupo opens his mouth to say something.

“Don’t leave him!” A girl’s voice rings out from behind us. I can tell exactly who that is.

Gakupo breaks out into a smile, and then sweet laughter escapes his lips. “Get off your knees, you big sappy idiot.”

“Woah-!” I gasp, being yanked up off my knees from Gakupo. I forgot just how strong he can be. I stumble forward a bit still, but he catches me in his arms.

“I may be the world’s biggest moron for believing you...” He smirks at me, raising a brow.

“No, I swear, I-”

“I’m teasing...” He softly laughs, interrupting me. My blush deepens when he caresses my cheek with the back of his hand. It’s only been a little while, but I’m so relieved to feel his touch again.

“I… I’ve really needed you, after...” I can’t even finish my sentence. It’s too hard.

“I’ve needed you, too. I really thought you hated me,” Gakupo admits, with a sigh. “Let’s talk about this at home.” Before I can start freaking out in joy knowing that he won’t leave, I’m cut off by a warmth on top of my lips.

“Mm…” My eyes slip shut almost straight away. I can’t help but sigh in pleasure against his lips. His kiss is full of passion and it’s amazing. I wrap my arms around him and in return, he holds me close, making me feel safe.

“Woo, yeah!” Another high pitched exclamation comes from Rin. Oh, she thinks she’s so slick…

After a moment, I pull away from Gakupo, feeling a little breathless. “Maybe we should continue this at home...” I whisper in his ear.

“Sounds very good to me.” Gakupo answers in a hushed tone, winking at me. Ah, there’s that irresistible tone that makes me weak every time. He takes hold of my hand, and with that, we turn away from the platform and make our way out of there.

…

Gakupo bursts out into laughter as soon as I finish talking. “Wh- You’re telling me- No way…!”

“Dead serious!” I chuckle.

“You’re totally fucking with me,” he retorts, playfully squeezing my ankle.

We’re currently sitting on the couch in the living room at Gakupo’s house – my legs are stretched out taking up most of the space, while he’s casually sat on the remaining part, my feet propped up onto his lap.

“Aha, that tickles…!” I twitch my leg, shifting his hand off of me. I’ve just finished telling him about my new best friend Rin, and all the mischief we got up to this week. It seems he doesn’t quite believe the absurdity of it all, or perhaps he shares my sentiment of how absolutely surreal it’s been.

“I’m just glad someone was there for you,” Gakupo says, sighing after laughing so much.

“I honestly didn’t expect it,” I answer, giving a confused shrug. “But y’know, she’s a real good person. We should invite her out with us to say thanks some time.”

“Mm, good idea,” he nods, with a smile. He stretches his arms out, giving a yawn. “I’m so tired… Been working my ass off all week.”

“You were really dead set on leaving,” I frown. “I don’t blame you. Things have been so fucked up lately… It’s so hard to try and move past what they did to us.”

Gakupo slowly nods in agreement. “I’ve barely been able to sleep. It’s been such torture,” he groans. “But, with you, I… I feel like we can get through it...” Before I know it, he’s shifted my legs aside and is crawling up towards me on the couch. He sort of pins me down, leaning over me with a serious glint in his eyes.

“Gaku-kun…?” I breathlessly whisper.

“I want you, Kai-kun. Right now,” he answers, in a low tone.

“A-Are you sure? Do you really want this, even with what happened still so fresh in our minds…?” I simply can’t resist that seductive look in his eyes. I feel like somehow, I can still regain control of my body after what happened.

“Well, do you want this?” Gakupo repeats, turning the question around onto me.

“I… I think so...” I hesitantly say. I’m mostly sure, but part of me wonders if now is the right time.

“Me too,” he simply states. “We can beat them… beat what they did to us, not let them destroy us if we take back control of our bodies. If we can focus on each other, I...”

“I agree.” I hush him, pressing my finger to his lip with a smile. “But… Do you want me to tell you what I’ve been trying to explain ever since that day?”

Gakupo pauses for a moment, before shaking his head. “No, it’s okay. I understand. You don’t have to force yourself to relive all that. I’m just sorry for reacting so badly,” he awkwardly laughs.

“I’m sorry, too.”

At that point, we both know there’s no point in using any more words. I take in a breath, close my eyes, and wrap my arms around the back of his neck before pulling him down to me for a deep kiss.

That kiss seals our promise to be dedicated to each other for the rest of our lives. Just like a magnet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That draws this (originally meant to be a oneshot AAAAA) short story to a close! I had so much fun writing this and exploring so many different things. I also couldn't help but throw Rinny in there, just for the hell of it cuz I didn't want Kaito to be lonely for the week. Besides, we needed a bit of a break from all that heavy stuff, so yeah.
> 
> Thank you all so much for the support on this work, I appreciate it so much! I'll be working on more Vocaloid stuff in the near future - including the continuation of another story that I haven't updated in a while. Peace out!~


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